


Teen Tony

by WritingPains



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Avengers Tower, Domestic Avengers, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Kid Fic, Kid Tony, Kid Tony Stark, Protective Avengers, Teen Tony Stark, Tony Stark-centric, abused tony stark, teen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2019-08-28 15:56:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 58,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16726431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingPains/pseuds/WritingPains
Summary: Tony's abusive father is ruining his life, but if he admits it, the Avengers won't want him on their team anymore. Being fifteen isn't an excuse. If he can't protect himself against his own dad, how can he be expected to protect New York from the dangers that seem to hone in on them?And then, how is he supposed to save the world when Thanos steps onto the scene and tries to track Tony down?





	1. Introducing

“Kid, where’d you get that shiner?” Clint asks as he helps Tony to his feet. “Looks nasty.”

Tony scowls and checks over his armour to make sure it’s not broken before deciding to reply.

“Did you just miss that entire battle?” Tony sneers. “Your old age messing with your memory? I took a hit. Duh.”

Clint grins and wraps an arm around Tony’s shoulder.

“You had your suit on the entire time and I don’t see a dent in the mask. Besides, I may not be a doctor, but it looks a few days old.”

Tony shrugs his arm off and tries to walk away from the conversation, but Clint jogs behind him, a slither of concern softening his grin.

“Hey, is someone giving you trouble at school?”

Tony rolls his eyes.

“I don’t go to school, remember?”

“Right. So, at college?”

“It’s Summer Vacay.”

“So where did that black eye come from?” Clint asks as he steps around to stop Tony moving out of the way. “Do you need me to beat up some mean bullies?”

“No!” Tony shouts. “Leave it alone. I fell over, OK. It happens. Now get off my back. Damn.”

Clint puts his hand up in surrender and steps back. Guilt flashes across Tony’s face, but it’s replaced by a smirk almost immediately. Clint wishes Tony didn’t spend all of his time hiding his emotions. He’s too young for that.

“Well, if you’re all done here,” Tony says, waving his arm around at the mess, “I’ll be heading home now. Jarvis will be worried.”

“Wait, Stark, we could use your...”

Tony slides his faceplate down when Steve starts talking. He gives a jovial wave and takes off into the sky.

“Damn, that kid is a menace,” Steve complains. “Helps make the mess but won’t clean up after himself. I should tell his parents. They’ll tell him that he needs to stay with the team until the mission is complete.”

“Don’t tattle on him, Steve,” Clint complains. “He’s just a kid. Most fifteen-year-old kids don’t even clean their rooms, so this isn’t a surprise.”

“Still, his father should be able to talk some sense into him.”

Clint shrugs. If Steve is set on telling on Tony, that’s their problem. He moves over to help Natasha and Thor with the clean-up effort while Bruce is being covered in a blanket and given an energy bar by Coulson. Steve is checking in with civilians. Tony usually leaves by this point because he doesn’t want people to know who he is. Too many people gather around to stare at the Avengers and journalists appear wanting a story.

By the time they’ve managed to clear the streets of destruction, Clint is tired and hungry. They’re flying the Quinjet home as he decides what he wants to eat.

“I want Pizza. Can we get pizza?”

“You had Pizza for breakfast,” Natasha reminds him.

“There’s no legal limit on how much pizza I can eat,” Clint pouts.

The Quinjet lands on the roof and they all file through the jets doors. 

“I’m going to call Howard,” Steve tells them as they step into the tower. “Ask him to give Tony some stern words on responsibility.”

“Jesus, you’re gonna get him grounded and he won’t be allowed to come and play next time the masters of crime decide to show their ugly faces.”

“He’s still growing up. It’s good to instil these behaviours at a young age.”

Clint rolls his eyes and flops down on the couch, listening as Steve calls old man Stark to snitch on their teenage team member.

  
~

 

“Anthony Edward Stark, I want to see you in my office.”

Tony freezes, which is weird, because Jarvis has just taken away the ice-packs he had the teenagers bicep and shoulder.

“He’s been drinking since this morning,” Jarvis warms him. “He won’t be reasonable. You should go to the tower until he calms down.”

Tony shakes his head and jumps from the counter.

“No thanks, J. I’ll be good. I’ll just duck better this time.”

“Master Tony, please allow me to tell your friends about –”

“Jarvis, please, we’ve talked about this a thousand times. They’re the ones getting me into the most trouble. Telling them won’t make a difference.”

Tony leaves the kitchen and the moment he’s out of view, his shoulders sag and he allows his tiredness to show. He’s not sure how many of these ‘correctional’ lessons that his father gives him he can survive. At this point, it’ll save his dad time and Jarvis stress if he did just die. He steps into the doorway, his head hanging.

“Anthony, Anthony, Anthony,” his father says with disappointment coating his tone. “What am I supposed to do with you?”

Tony closes the door behind himself as he steps into the study. He does his best to keep his screams silent so that Jarvis doesn’t hear the pain, but the door always helps to stifle it further.

“Come here.”

Howard points to the spot directly in front of his chair and Tony moves forward, the stench of whiskey burning at his nostrils the closer he gets.

“You’re embarrassing me in front of my greatest creation, boy,” his father spits, grabbing Tony by the hair. “Why would you do that?”

“I’m sorry sir,” Tony pleads. “I’ll be better next time.”

“Except you’re not sorry, are you? This is the second time this week you’ve had a complaint, and I’m sick of it. I’ll teach you a lesson you’re never going to forget.”

  
~

 

“Howard sounded really angry on the phone,” Steve muses as he drinks the tea Bruce gave him. “I hope I haven’t gotten Tony into too much trouble.”

Clint shrugs.

“So he’s given extra chores and grounded for the week. Next time he’ll hang around to do the boring part of the job, and you’ll find something else to complain about.”

“I’m not that bad, Clint,” Steve defends.

“When was the last time you called his dad to tell him how well he was doing with the Avengers? When was the last time you said anything nice to his face?”

Steve frowns, eyes to the ceiling as he tries to remember.

“OK, fair point. Next time I call, it’ll be with good news.”

  
~

 

*One Week Later*

“Ironman, I need your assistance!”

Tony swoops down from the sky and grabs hold of Clint as he tumbles from the building shooting arrows at the mini ducks that were animated by some amateur mechanic.

Tony grits his teeth against a scream as his broken arm works at holding Clint aloft, but it’s not enough. Hawkeye stops shooting and looks at the Ironman mask with panic.

“Tony, are you OK?”

Tony can’t reply, not while he’s in this much pain, but he does try to nod. Clint doesn’t fall for it.

“Tony’s hurt,” he calls into his comms. “He needs medical.”

Tony lowers them both to the floor and stumbles as he fights against blacking out.

“I’m fine,” he growls weakly.

“What happened?” Clint asks. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!”

“Kid, you remember the promise right. You said if you got hurt you’d tell us.”

“I said if I got hurt on the battlefield,” he clarifies. “This was a lab accident.”

“So you are hurt?”

Tony throws up his arms in exasperation, only to gasp in pain and fall to his knees.

“Ironman!” Steve calls. “We need you to locate the control centre and tear it down.”

“He can’t cap he’s –” Tony stands up and flies upwards. “...hurt.”

“Found it!” Tony announces. “I’m hacking in. Annnnnd.... they’re down.”

The miniature rubber ducks all fall still, and Tony sees a wacko in a lab coat fleeing the sewers. He speeds after him and tackles the man to the ground.

Sadly, doing so aggravates all of his broken bones, and the darkness creeps in.

 

~

 

Tony wakes up with a groan of dissatisfaction. He’s not ready to be awake. There’s a strange haze that allows him to feel the dull ache of pain but doesn’t force him to experience it at full throttle. He doesn’t know where he is, but if the smell of disinfectant and the beeping of machines is anything to go by, he’s in a hospital.

And that’s not good.

“You’re awake.”

That’s even worse.

Tony opens his eyes and looks around the room. There’s no one else but him and his father. He makes eye contact and gulps.

“Howard.”

“Anthony.”

The look in Howard's eye is reflecting the pain Tony knows he’s going to be in very, _very_ soon.


	2. If he dies, so do you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Howard is a bad, bad man. But everyone else learns that the hard way.

Tony is trembling in bed as his father walks out of the room. It could definitely have been worse, but Tony can’t imagine how he’s going to explain how he managed to get a broken wrist while laying in bed.

“Tony!” Clint calls, making the boy jump. “You’re awake!”

Steve is talking to Howard, and Howard looks at Steve with pride and adoration. Tony has long since learnt that he’ll never be looked at like that. Tony can’t hear what they’re saying, and he stops trying when he sees Natasha frowning at him.

“Yes, awake, healthy, ready to go home,” Tony says, moving to get out of bed.

Clint rushes to his side to stop him, but not before Tony has managed to ‘fall over’ and land on his wrist. The tears of pain that spring to his eyes are not faked, and Clint is at his side a second later.

“Jesus, Kid. You’re supposed to stay here for a few days, at least. You’re seriously injured.”

Tony allows Clint to help him back onto the bed, and he keeps holding his wrist tightly, hoping that by forcing pain, it’ll help to alleviate it.

“Steve is talking to your dad about how we can reduce the risk of you being hurt so often while you’re with us. We’re thinking that you might need to upgrade your armor.”

Tony wants to laugh, but he doesn’t. Instead, he makes a show of prodding his wrist and hissing in pain.

Natasha and Clint both look from Tony’s face to his wrist with unreadable expressions. Clint turns to Natasha and they seem to silently talk to each other.

“I’ll get a doctor to check on your wrist,” Natasha says. “If you tell me how it happened.”

Tony raises an eyebrow, painting on his arrogant ‘I’m a teenage genius/billionaire’ look.

“Did you miss the part where I fell off the bed, Tasha? Because I didn’t.”

“I didn’t. I also didn’t miss how the whole this is awfully coordinated.”

“What are you implying?” he sneers, pushing that cold thrill of fear deep in his stomach.

“Nothing. But if something is going on, you can talk to us.”

Natasha doesn’t normally look so soft, and Tony hates her for it. How dare she try and use compassion to wheedle information out of him that he doesn’t want to share. That seems awfully manipulative and he doesn’t appreciate it one bit.

“I’m _fine_ ,” he hisses. “And I can call the doctor myself.”

Tony’s eyes flicker to his fathers, and the spy’s eyes follow. He inwardly curses.

“But you don’t want to while the perpetrator is here.”

It’s not a question she asks. It’s a statement. She’s telling him. She knows. And Tony doesn’t know how to save himself from the slope she’s pushing him down.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he tries. “I fell. It hurts. That’s all there is to it.”

Natasha looks like she’s in pain, and Clint’s neck is flushing with unmistakable anger. Tony pretends it’s not happening, because he’s really not sure what he’s supposed do to about it. He was supposed to keep this hidden. No one was supposed to know. He’d get to be an avenger and not a stupid kid who couldn’t even defend himself against his father. He always wanted to be more than the fears he grew up with. Always hoped he’d overcome them and prove to his father that he wasn’t just a screw-up.

Apparently, that day isn’t destined to come anytime soon.

Natasha leaves and returns with a doctor a few minutes later. Howard and Steve are still talking in the hallway, and Steve’s boisterous laugh makes Tony flinch. He wishes he didn’t hate Steve. He wishes he could like the man that his own father favors over himself. It would make him a better team-player he’s sure.

“What seems to be the problem?” the doctor asks, as he looks at Tony’s chart.

“My wrist is hurting,” Tony tells him. “I fell off the bed.”

The doctor frowns, clearly unconvinced, but moves to Tony’s side and gently lifts his wrist to look at it. Tony notes with mounting horror that there are marks starting to appear. Marks that look undeniably like fingers.

“You fell off the bed?” the doctor repeats skeptically.

Tony bites his lip and turns to see his father stood by the door watching, his eyes hard but his mouth is twisted in clever concern.

“Y-yeah. I, uh, fell off the bed and then held it too tight apparently,” Tony lies. “My bad.”

Clint is looking between the finger marks and Tony’s hand. There’s a size disparity, and Tony prays that no one makes a connection there. He can’t afford to get caught out in a lie. For one, he doesn’t know what his father would do if he were found out, and two, he’s not sure how he would survive being booted from the team.

Because really, what would they do with a kid that can’t defend himself against minor threats?

“We’ll need to do an X-Ray, but I’m certain that it’s broken.”

The X-Ray doesn’t take long at all, and it is indeed broken.

“How are you so clumsy, boy?” Howard asks in a forced fond tone.

Tony shrugs, ignoring the sudden surge in pain across his body from the minute action. Howard gives Tony a final hard look before turning to leave.

“I’ll have Jarvis drop by some of your things, but in the meantime, I want you to upgrade your suit. I can’t in good conscience allow you back on the field unless you have better protection inside your suit.”

Tony nods, keeping his eyes trained on the starch white sheets. He can’t let the hidden threat go unnoticed, and his stomach turns with sickness. His father is a good actor, he’ll give him that. Clint and Natasha still seem to be eyeing up Howard with mounting distrust, but Tony ignores it. He can’t let anyone learn the truth behind his injuries.

 

~

 

*Two Weeks later*

Tony is sat behind a large computer, dictating to the team how the threat is best thwarted. He can’t go out into the field for another two weeks at least, because he’s still in his casts and his broken arm and wrist have a major impact of the suit’s maneuverability.

“I can’t seem to locate any hints that this is mechanical,” he says. “But my AI is picking up on several surges in an unknown energy. I’d hazard a guess that it is magic of some sort, but unfortunately, that’s not my wheel-house. Thor, if I send you the coordinates, will you check it – STEVE WATCH OUT!”

But his warning is too late, because Steve is falling beneath a building that has fallen without any discernible cause.

Tony watches in horror as the team rally around the building to try and dig their super-soldier out of the rubble. The door behind him slams open, and Tony freezes.

“Turn the mic off.”

Tony presses a button, ignoring the shouts from the team asking Steve if he’s OK.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Howard hisses. “You let Steve get hurt. Did you do it on purpose?”

Tony shakes his head, but his fathers’ hands wrap around his throat and he’s pulled close into Howards face.

“You’re a little fuck-up, you failed attempt at procreation. You want to hurt Steve, then I’ll hurt you.”

Howards hand tightens, and Tony’ body is choking on it. He can’t breathe, can’t fight with his broken bones. Can’t even defend himself. His feels his body giving up, sees the darkness creeping into the edges of his vision, hears his body begging for air.

Just as he’s about to black-out completely, his fathers hand smacks across his cheek, and Tony gasps, body welcoming the air with painful gulps.

“If he dies, boy, so do you.”

“Howard?”

Tony freezes and Howard turns to face the computer.

“Howard, what’re you saying?”

It’s Steve. He’s been pulled from the rubble, and while he looks a big rough and banged up, he’s talking and breathing and _alive._ Tony can’t figure out if he feels more scared than he does relieved.

“Sorry you had to overhear that, Steve. Tony and I were just having a little joke.”

Tony can see Steve on the screens and smiles a little when Steve’s face smooths out into a smile.

“Oh, you had me worried there.”

Clint and Natasha are nowhere to be seen, and he prays that they didn’t hear anything.

“I’ve found the mage,” Thor announces. “He has been appropriately dealt with. I will take him to Asgard, where we have the correct resources to hold him.”

“Cool,” Tony coughs. “Thanks, Thor. Well, Stark out. I’ll send it my report for SHEILD later, OK?”

“Thanks for your help today, Tony. You were, as always, invaluable.”

Tony shuts off the computer, and cautiously looks to his father, waiting to see what kind of punishment is in store for that close-call.

“You tried to ruin my reputation,” Howard growls. “Do you think you’re clever? Smarter than me? If you were to tell anyone, who do you think they would believe? Me, the smartest man alive, or you? A shitty, lying, _clumsy_ child?”

Tony tries to push the chair backwards, but Howards fingers grip his hair and force him to his knees.

“You’re going to regret it, you little prick.”

Tony closes his eyes, ready to face his punishment, but before he feels the fist that he was sure was coming towards his face, the door of his lab opens, and two people rush in.

“Take your hands off of him, or we will rip them from your body.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments are awesome. Thank you!


	3. Tony, I'm so sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They know and Tony is pissed.

Howard throws Tony to the floor, where he lands with a grunt. Clint and Natasha step into the room, their faces hard with fury and their weapons drawn.

“I can have you for trespassing,” Howard warns them. “I can have you stripped of your position in SHEILD and I can delve deep into your pasts and reveal who you really are. You keep quiet, and so do I.”

Tony struggles to sit up, but when he does, he sees that neither of the agents is fazed by the threats.

“Please, just go,” he begs.

Howard sneers down at him, but Tony ignores it. He sends them both pleading looks, trying to load his expression with urgency. Neither of them relents. In fact, Natasha raises her gun.

“Step away from the boy, and I’ll spare you the indignity of being shot in front of his.”

“Tasha, don’t!” Tony cries out.

Clint moves into the room while Howard stands under the cold stare of Natasha, frozen.

“Come on, kid. We’re taking you to the tower.”

“No,” Tony complains, trying to bat Clint’s hands away. “I can’t just _leave_. This is my home. Please, guys.”

Clint grimaces.

“Sorry kid.”

The next thing Tony knows, he’s being hoisted into Clint's arms like some sort of reluctant bride and carried out of the room. He tries to push against Clint’s chest, but his arms are weak on account of being broken, and Clint is a master archer. His arms have had years of conditioning.

“At least I know where David’s arms went,” Tony grumbles when he realizes there’s no way to win. “This isn’t going to end well for you guys you know. Howard can hold a grudge a mile wide.”

Clint doesn’t say anything until they’re outside. Coulson is waiting by the car, and he ushers them inside of it. Tony tries one last time to escape the hold, but when Tasha shows up nursing her knuckles, the car starts to move, he gives up again.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Tony tells them. “We’re all in trouble now.”

“You let us worry about that,” Coulson says. “Tony, why didn’t you say anything.”

“There’s nothing to say. I have my own issues to deal with, OK. He’s _my_ dad. _My_ responsibility. I could have handled it.”

“And how exactly were you planning on doing that?” Natasha asks. “By letting him hurt you until you died?”

Tony tries not to wince at that because it’s pretty close to the truth. Tasha clearly sees something in his reaction because her face softens.

“Tony, we’re a team. I don’t care how powerful your father is. We’d always be at your side and help when you needed it. How long has it been going on?”

Tony weighs his options. He’s already been caught, and they already know that he’s nothing without the suit on, just like Steve accused when they first met. They probably already want him off the team. On the other hand, though, he could deny everything if anyone asked. There’s no proof.

“I can practically see what you’re planning, kid,” Clint says, making Tony jump. “I know you think you might be able to deny everything, but your butler and his wife have already agreed to testify and those bruises around your neck and the doctor’s reports on your injuries will help.”

“Testify?” Tony gapes. “Don’t take this to court. Please, Clint, I’m begging you. Just… I’ll move in with you guys, I’ll never see Howard again, but don’t let it go that far.”

Tony is about ready to _beg_ to not be forced through that trauma when they pull up in front of the tower.

“We’ll discuss it later, kid. In the meantime, let's get you settled in your room.”

Tony doesn’t bother complaining. He just allows himself to be led out of the car and into the tower's elevator that takes them up to the top floors.

Tony built this tower and funded it too, despite his father's wishes. He made the penthouse the communal area and the floors underneath dedicated to each member of the team. He built one for himself too, should he ever wish to spend some time with the Avengers. So he’s shocked when they’re taken to the floor that Coulson lives on.

“Uhm, newsflash guys. My floor is a few higher.”

“Sorry, kiddo, but for the time being you need to stay on a floor with better protection. Tash and I will be bunking here too, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

“In case your dad tries to get you,” Coulson says, without mincing his words. “He’s a dangerous man, and far more clever than I like. We need to keep you safe.”

When they step into the lounge area of Coulson’s floor, Tony freezes at the sight of the rest of the team.

“Tony,” Steve says, standing up.

Tony takes an involuntary step backwards and hits Clint’s chest.

“Cap,” Tony says, tersely. “How’re things?”

Steve’s eyes travel up and down Tony’s body, stopping on his neck.

“Howard did this?”

Tony chooses not to answer. Admitting it feels uncomfortable, and he knows how temperamental Bruce can be when they talk about people hurting their team members. Yeah, he’s going to avoid it for Bruce’s benefit.

“Ok, fine, I’ll agree to this stupid sleepover for now. Am I taking the floor or the sofa?”

“You’ll be sleeping in the guest room,” Coulson tells him. “Come on. You need to get cleaned up. Bruce, make some tea? Clint, contact the appropriate people. Natasha, have Jarvis and Ana brought here immediately. Steve, sit down OK? You look like you’re going to throw up, and I’d rather not have to replace it again so soon after Clint bled out on it.”

Steve sits heavily on the couch, and the others head off to do their jobs. Tony feels sick himself, but Coulson doesn’t allow him to stop walking. They go into a room together, and Tony sits at the empty desk.

“I think I can figure out how to shower on my own.”

Coulson chuckles but doesn’t leave the room.

“Kid, this isn’t going to be easy on you, I can say that with absolute certainty, but I can also say that we’ll stand behind you every step of the way. You won’t be alone, and you don’t have to go back.”

“And if I want to be on my own? If I _want_ to go back?”

“Why would you want to?”

“Because it’s the Avengers fault it was even happening!” Tony shouts, suddenly losing his cool. “my dad kept getting calls ‘Tony did this wrong’ and ‘Tony did that wrong’ and my Dad was just trying to teach me to be better. And now I’ll never get to prove that I can be as good as Captain fucking America.”

Coulson, super-spy that he is, doesn’t flinch or pull a face, despite Tony’s voice reaching several decimals higher than he ever thought possible. Tony is seething by the time his rant comes to a close, and he just wants to hit things and scream at someone.

“It’s not fair,” he shouts. “It’s not _fair!_ I’m a _superhero._ A fucking superhero that escaped a fucking cave by himself and my dad still doesn’t fucking care. Steve came out of the ice the _same day_ I came home from Afghanistan, and who does he go see? Not his stupid, useless, pathetic son. No. He went to see his greatest creation. I don’t understand! I don’t know where I went wrong. Why does he hate me?”

And then, to Tony’s complete and utter shame, he starts to cry. He buries his face in his arms and turns his back on Coulson.

He can’t believe he’s being such a child, after spending so long convincing the team that he was adult enough to fight alongside them. He knows the only reason they even caved is that he promised he was going to do it anyway, whether they accepted his help or not. Having him on the team allowed them to set some rules by him and ensure that he was as safe as they could make it.

“Tony, I’m so sorry.”

Tony sits up straight when he hears Steve’s voice. He turns to see the man stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking stricken.

“Go away,” he shouts. “Leave me alone!”

Coulson nods and leaves the room, pulling Steve along with him. Tony slams the door hard enough that it feels quite cathartic. He then throws himself onto the bed and screams into the pillow, wishing the last hour hadn’t happened.

Wishing that the last fifteen years hadn’t happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is super fun, guys. Please keep telling me how much you love it and if you have any suggestions for things I could throw in, please go ahead and suggest!


	4. I don’t want to

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things aren’t good. Things are never good. Tony is sad, everyone is angry, Howard is on a murderous rampage.

Tony falls into an exhausted sleep, which Clint only knows because he’s shamelessly spying on Tony from the air vents. Tony cried for two hours after Coulson left, and Clint felt his heart break and his anger rage more with every second.

Tony might play at being arrogant and hateful and annoying, but Clint isn’t blind enough to have only seen that mask. He is still a fifteen year old boy who is dealing with the stresses of education, the worries of his social life, and the desire to please his father. Obviously that’s not all he was dealing with, but until recently, Clint had assumed the stress was the only reason he tried to hide.

Clint hates that it took him so long. He wishes he’d never had that assumption to blindside him to the reality. He prays that he never lets the fact that Tony is a teenager interfere with how he views him again.

Tony’s breath hitches a few times in his sleep, but Clint feels comfortable leaving him for the time being. He crawls through the vents and drops into the lounge where he finds a stricken Steve drinking tea. Bruce is pacing the floor angrily and Tasha is leaning against the wall glaring at the window.

Thor isn’t back yet and Coulson is in the kitchen on the phone. Jarvis and Ana, Tony’s butler and cook are sat at the dining room table in a solemn silence and Clint isn’t ready to talk to them yet. From what he understands, these guys knew Tony was being abused and did nothing about it. He needs answers before he can trust them. Unfortunately, just as he’s making his way towards them, the elevator doors open.

“Where is he?”

Natasha pushes herself away from the wall and aims her gun at the strange man stepping out of the elevator.

“Agent Romanov, put your gun down. I invited him here. Team, James Rhodes, James Rhodes, the Avengers.”

“I don’t care,” the man growls. “Where is Tony?”

Clint is suspicious now, too. Who the hell is this man in military uniform? He looks like he’s in his late teens, with dark skin and a clean shaven head. He also looks scared and angry.

“Tones?!” The man shouts, looking around.

“Quite down, he’s sleeping.”

James Rhodes turns to face Clint, eyes wide and hands trembling.

“He’s ok?”

“That’s subjective,” Coulson says, moving to stand by Clint. “He’s banged up, upset that he was found out, angry that we found out, and I imagine quite bitter.”

“Yeah, that sounds like him.”

Rhodes rubs a hand down his face.

“How long has this been going on for?”

“Since he came back from Afghanistan.”

Rhodes immediately turns to face Steve, who’s head hangs impossibly lower.

“I’m assuming you figured out that Howard shunned Tones the instant Captain America emerged from the ice.”

“I never knew,” Steve promises. “He never said anything.”

“He wouldn’t have done. Tony views problems as weaknesses and keeps them close to his heart.”

“You revealing all my dirty secrets, honey-bear?”

Everyone snaps to look at Tony as he appears out of the room. His hair is ruffled, and his cheeks are reddened with sleep. He walks quickly to Rhodey who takes him in his arms. They stay like that for a while, and Tony’s body unwinds a little bit more with every second.

Any suspicions Clint may have been harbouring vanish. He’s still not sure how they know about each other, but it’s clear the two of them are very close.

“I missed you,” Tony says, his voice muffled from where his face is pushed into Rhodes’ shirt.

“I’ve missed you too, bud,” Rhodes replies, running his fingers through Tony’s hair. “But I’ve been given surprise leave from the academy, so I can hang around for a while if you want me to.”

“Please do.”

Coulson coughs, dragging their attention back to the room.

“As much as I’d love to let you be cute, we have a lot to work through. Your father has been arrested, your mother is being interviewed and a medical examiner is going to come here with a social worker. They need to know the extend of his abuse and discuss where you should go in the meantime.”

“In the... in the meantime?” Tony’s voice shakes as one of his hands grips Rhodes’ uniform.

Rhodes puts his hand on Tony’s shoulder and guides him to the table and sits him down next to Jarvis.

“We have no control with the CPC. You may have to go into foster care until the case is over.”

“Foster care? But... I’m in college! I can’t be... I’m... you can’t let them do that!”

Tony is panicking, and Clint moves to his side and puts his hands on Tony’s shoulder and gently tries to massage the stress away. Tony is too hyped up to notice the casual calming technique, but his body does start to sag a little.

“I’m not some stupid kid that needs to be put away until the bad stuff stops,” Tony complains. “I’m an Avenger!”

“We know, we think it’s stupid too,” Clint promises. “But we’re kinda tied on this. We’ll do everything we can to speed up the process. We don’t want you in foster care any longer than we can help. We’re all on the same side here.”

Tony doesn’t look convinced, but Jarvis takes his hand, and he does look slightly calmer for it.

“Right, shall I make risotto?” Ana offers as she stands up. “It always helps to cheer up Anthony.”

Tony looks grateful and leans into Jarvis’ side.

“We’ll figure this out, Tony. We promise,” Jarvis says. “Things will get better.”

~

Tony would argue that things didn’t get better. He would argue that no one figured anything out. He would argue that he’s being left alone and defenceless as he’s handed over to a couple that offered to ‘care’ for him until the trial is over.

“But I don’t want to,” Tony pleads. “Please, Agent.”

“Sorry, Tony. We can’t do anything beyond vetting the family and they’re nice. They have other kids, so you can do some normal... kid stuff.”

“I don’t want to,” Tony reiterates.

“We’ll keep you informed on everything.”

Coulson leaves and Tony stares mournfully after him. It’s not until the car is completely out of view that Tony realises the dire dread he truly feels at the situation.

His father has been questioned and kept under hard surveillance since Tony was found. It’s been three days, and Tony has been on edge the entire time, and it terrifies him that his father hates him more than he did before.

“Come on, son. Let’s meet the others and then start dinner.”

Tony is taken inside, and his body is coiled so tightly that he might snap. There are three other people at the table, and while he’d love to do nothing more than find a lab to lock himself in, he’s forced to sit down and introduce himself.

The moment Jill and Alex leave earshot, one of the boys eyes harden.

“Stark, like that rich family. You their kid?”

His voice is dripping with disgust and disdain, which is nothing new for Tony. He’s learnt how to cope with it by now.

Introducing; arrogant Tony.

“Yeah, why? Want an autograph?”

“Ha,” the boy snorts. “Only so I could sell it and buy a gun to shoot you with. Your family are the reason I’m here.”

“Howdja figure that?”

“My Dad, Joshua Proom, worked for Stark Industries and your dad fired him for no reason.”

Tony casts his mind back, trying to see if the name tickles any memories, but nothing comes to mind.

“I don’t know if that’s true,” Tony remarks, “but anything my dad did is on him, not me.”

“Paul, don’t be so rude,” the girl slaps the boys arm. “We’re all in this situation together, and no one is blaming you for what your dad did, are they? Nor are they blaming me for what my Ma did. So leave it out.”

The boy deflates under her chastisement, but he doesn’t stop glaring at Tony. The other boy seems quite uncaring, and his eyes are out of focus, like his mind is elsewhere.

“I overheard them talking about you last night,” the girl says. “You won’t be here long. Whatever your case is, it’s being pushed through as an emergency, so you should be out in a few days.”

Tony shrugs like he doesn’t care, but he does hope that the girl is right. He doesn’t want to be here. He wants to be with his team.

~

Three days pass and Tony barely hears from anyone, and then suddenly on the evening, just before they’re sitting down for another meal, Coulson is at the door.

“We have a situation, and Anthony needs to be taken into protective custody.”

Tony is taken by the arm and almost aggressively thrown into a waiting car. Steve, Bruce and Clint are there, and before he even has the chance to strap in, the car is moving.

“What’s going on?”

“Howard is missing. He left a note saying that if he was going down, he was taking you with him.”

Tony’s stomach goes cold.

For all of his fathers faults, he almost never fails at any of his endeavours, no matter how many adversities he faces.

Tony is more certain now than he has ever been that he’s going to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m apparently taken by this story enough to continuously update the moment I have enough time to write.  
> I’m trying to get through the horrible stuff so I can do some nice Avengers fam stuff.


	5. What the hell is a Bucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky Barnes coming atcha with those metal arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not even ashamed at how this is completely non-canonical.

They drive for hours, and Tony is sure they’re passing state lines but they’re driving in such a convoluted manner that he can’t be sure. He figures they’re trying their best to lose any tails they may have.

“You guys know that if my father intends to kill me, he will.”

The silence that descends over them is heavy and uncomfortable, and Tony squirms under the pressure. He always feels smaller than he wishes he did when sat next to Steve, the man he was always forced to measure up to.

Tony still feels resentment rolling off of him in waves, no matter how hard he tries to reign it in. It’s become clear in the past week that Steve never intended to have Tony treated the way he did, but Tony can’t seem to look past the fact that he was punished because of what Steve said.

Steve seems uncomfortably aware of the fact, if the awkward shift in his body is anything to go by. Tony wishes he could promise Steve that it wasn’t his fault. He wishes he could tell them all that he doesn’t hold any grudges against them for ruining his life by dragging him out of that situation against his will. He still thinks that he could have figured it out on his own.

“Tony, I’m sorry none of us did anything sooner,” Steve says, his voice weighed down with guilt. “You shouldn’t have had to –”we

Steve is cut off when the car flips over with the force of an explosion. Tony is held into his seat by the seatbelt, but he’s still jolted painfully as the car rolls and skids along the road on its roof. When it stops, there’s a ringing in his ears that he can’t shake, and smoke fills the car.

There’s movement outside of the car. Tony can see the silhouette of a man stalking towards them, and there’s a glint on the mans left side. At first, Tony assumes it’s a gun, but as the smoke starts to clear, he realizes it’s a metal arm. Tony looks around the car to find that everyone else has been knocked unconscious.

He knows why this man is here. He’s obviously a hired assassin, and his father has chosen the most deadly way to have Tony taken out. It makes sense. It keeps Howards name cleared and his hands clean. So, Tony knows what to do. He can’t let the others suffer his fathers vendetta.

He should face it head-on, like a real Avenger. He was never that important to the team anyway. Just a miscreant with a death wish who was safer controlled than he was left alone to his own devices. Tony respects that, and accepts his fate.

He unbuckles his seat, careful not to jostle anyone in case they came to consciousness before he was able to make the sacrifice play (suck on that, Captain America. Is this laying on the line enough for you?). he does, however, take the time to make sure everyone is alive. Once he’s certain that they are, he climbs out of the car through the smashes windscreen and stands up in front of the man.

Tony can see up close that the man has a mop of dirty brown hair and a mask on his face. There is also something strangely familiar about him that makes Tony feel sick. The man looks at Tony with curiosity, and Tony looks back at him with defiant stubbornness.

“Go on then, you raggy bastard. Kill me.”

The mans head turns to the side, like a curious puppy confused by it’s situation.

“Come on, shoot me. I don’t have all day. I assume I have an appointment with the devil sometime in the next five minutes.”

“Anthony Stark?”

Tony nods, shoulders back and head high.

If he’s going to die, he’s doing it with dignity.

“And you are?”

The man blinks several times, as if the question has thrown him, and then he shrugs.

“You don’t know?” Tony asks, incredulously. “How do you not know?”

“I am the asset,” the man says. “I am not… a name.”

Tony feels himself relaxing, against all logic that he should be terrified and prepared to die.

“That’s crap. You have to have a name. You’re a person right? So come on, what is it? Fred, Frank, Felicia?”

The man continues to stare, but his gun that was being held at Tony’s chest lowers.

“Thomas, Teddy, Tyler? Jason, Justin, James?”

The mans eye twitches.

“James?”

The gun comes back up again, and Tony tenses. He closes his eyes, welcoming his end like a man, like his father would have wanted him to. But when the shot it fired and he doesn’t feel any pain, he’s confused.

He opens his eyes to find James Buchanan Barnes  on the floor in front of him. The mask has been shattered and lies a few feet from them. Tony can’t believe it. He can’t figure out how to allow this to make sense in his mind because Bucky Goddamn Barnes is alive and currently attached to a metal arm.

“Bucky?”

Tony turns quickly to find Coulson, Clint and Steve staring at Bucky. Coulson has his gun trained on Bucky’s forehead, but Steve is almost sagging with an invisible pressure.

“What the hell is a Bucky?”

“Dude, you are,” Tony tells him. “You’re a super soldier. Oh my god. This... this is wild even for our line of work. I can’t believe my dad sent a super soldier Bucky Barnes to kill me.”

“I’m not here to kill you,” Bucky says. “I’m here to take you.”

“Wait, wha—“

Before Tony has the chance to say anything further, he’s being engulfed in a plume of thick smoke and an arm, definitely the metallic one, is wrapping around his waist. He’s jolted as Bucky runs, and he hears Coulson screaming at everyone to not shoot.

“We can’t risk hitting Tony.”

Tony is dragged into the nearby forest and Bucky runs with the power of a super car through the trees, dodging the trunks and leaping over the overgrowth.

“Who wants me?” Tony shouts over the wind in his ears. “My dad?”

Bucky looks at him confused before shaking his head.

“No. Hydra.”

Tony’s stomach plummets and he gapes at the man. His eyes move over to the shoulder of his arm and he sees a red star on the cold, grey metal.

“Well, fuck.”

 

~

 

“This is not good,” Clint says, staring at the empty road as the smoke is washed away by the breeze. “Also, a highly unexpected plot twist.”

“Clint, shut up,” Coulson whispers.

Steve looks stunned. He’s staring at the spot where his long-thought-dead best friend stood mere seconds before. Bruce is calling for back-up and satellite images of the area. Clint can see that Coulson is planning something in that mind of his, and Clint simply stands, waiting for orders, because he can’t do anything that might jeopardise Tony’s life.

“Steve, Clint, you search on foot. Bruce and I will wait for the jet which is five minutes out and we’ll search from the air.”

No one confirms their orders, they simply take off. One side of the road is vast farmland that has no hiding places, and the other is a dense forest. Steve and Clint both head towards the trees and with sharp eyes, start to search for the kid that Clint is fast coming to think of as a liability.

 

~

 

Tony doesn’t know how long they’re been running for, but he’s definitely getting a bruise around his stomach. Every step Bucky takes makes his entire body shake, and Tony isn’t sure how much more he can take.

“Dammit, Bucky. Put me down!”

The man doesn’t even slow his pace, he simply ignore Tony.

“Soldier, I demand you put me down right now.”

It was a long shot at best, but the man stills almost instantly.

“Jesus, you weren’t kidding about ‘the asset’ thing, were you?” Tony grumbles as he’s dumped unceremoniously on the ground. “I’m assuming that you don’t even know who you were before Hydra got you?”

Tony feels that people often undermine his genius, especially when he’s living alongside Howard. People assume he’s smart, sure, but next to an established name, Tony is often brushed off as a kid with his fathers talents.

But Tony is and always has been so much more than that. He’s fairly certain he surpassed his fathers intellect by the time he was seven, and his father knew it. Cue the growing resentment.

It’s because of this that Tony is able to think of the quick solution to their problem.

“Asset, change of objective. Hydra do not want me brought to them. They want you to lay low among the Avengers and keep yourself safe.”

It’s another long shot, but the man responds to orders, and he’s probably been briefed on the team. Chances are the new mission doesn’t seem so far fetched. And, if they can keep Bucky out of Hydras hands, they can work on undoing what is likely seventy years of conditioning. Tony’s read more than enough comic books and heard more than enough stories to know that James Barnes would never willingly fall into the hands of hydra.

“Understood,” the soldier says.

“Dope. Now, let’s find the team.”

Tony is helped to his feet, and then Bucky stands with his back straight staring into the woods.

“Are you OK?”

Bucky looks at Tony and then back at the woods without responding. Tony can’t tell if he just has no interest in replying or if he’s caught out by the question. Before he has the chance to really analyse the reaction, though, Steve and Clint come rushing toward them.

“Stop!” Tony shouts, before any fists are raised. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

“Tony, step away. He’s dangerous.”

Steve edges forwards, ready to pull Tony back and maybe even try to reason why Bucky, but before he gets the chance, Tony puts his hands up and steps in front of Bucky.

Being considerably shorter than everyone in their little woodland rendezvous, it’s completely ineffective, but it serves a purpose to make Steve and Clint freeze.

“He’s been brainwashed by Hydra,” Tony explains. “But we can help him. Just... guns down.”

Clint and Steve both let their arms fall at their sides, and Clint quickly passes along the information to the team.

“The jet will be here soon,” Clint relays. “Tony, are you sure about this? This man is the winter soldier. He’s a wanted criminal and an assassin that has been active for seventy years. His body count amounts to more days you’ve spent alive.”

Tony tries not to let that terrifying tidbit scare the hell out of him because he’s a superhero, dammit and he’s braver than that.

“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t he choice. He shouldn’t be held accountable for it.”

“Bucky, is this true?”

Bucky looks to Tony before turning cold eyes on Steve.

“My name is not Bucky.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, Tin Man, But in the meantime, let’s find you a heart.”

“I understood that reference.”

Tony rolls his eyes and then takes Bucky by the wrist.

Together they walk back out of the woods, and climb back into the car. Bucky refused to sit anywhere other than next to Tony, and when they reached SHEILD headquarters, where everyone was freaking out about the Howard d situation.

“What have you brought him here?” Fury demands, pointing at Tony.

“He’s managed to tame the Winter Soldier, sir,” Clint explains, pointing at Bucky. “And they’re kind of inseparable.”

“Nothing about you gets to be normal, does it?” Fury complains. “Bring them both to the interrogation rooms. We can keep Tony under strict surveillance and figure out the... James Barnes?”

“Welcome to the land of ‘oh my god, that man is meant to be dead’, Nicky. Population, six.”

“You’re certainly more chipper than you were a day ago, kid,” Fury notes.

“What can I say? I thrive off chaos that doesn’t centre on me.”

Tony shrugs and then walks towards the torture rooms, as he so fondly calls them. His new shadow follows closely behind, and his shadows shadow that looks an awful look like Captain America is following too.

“This is going to be interesting,” Tony smirks as they sit down. “So, Bucky, want to catch us up on the last seventy years?”

 

~

 

It takes hours for them to get any words out of Bucky that aren’t ‘Asset’, ‘Soldier’ or ‘Mission’ and what they do get isn’t particularly useful.

“I do not understand your questions or why you ask them,” he says, his accent dipping into Russian. “What is my mission.”

“To keep Tony Stark safe,” Fury replies, before Tony can intervene.

“What, no. It was to keep himself safe. That was the plan. we’re not going to get anywhere if we can’t be consistent.”

Bucky puts a hand on Tony’s shoulder.

“I will keep him safe.”

“Would you look at that. A robotic assassin baby sitter for a fraction of the price.”

Tony frowns. He feels deeply uncomfortable giving anyone orders that don’t pertain to their own safety, so he fully intends to eliminate that the moment he can.

“And no taking orders from anyone other than myself,” Fury adds as an afterthought.

Yep. Tony definitely needs to undo this mind control nonsense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments and Kudos’ help my passion thrive. Thank you!


	6. Overprotective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky is suffocating, Tony is tired and Steve is getting his hopes up.

“James, can you just… leave me alone?” Tony begs, as he tries to close the bathroom door. “No one is going to attack me while I shower, OK?”

James just stands with his hand on the door, staring at Tony.

“I am not showering with you in the room.”

James remains silent.

“Please, soldier. Just let me shower!”

Clint walks into the room and leans against the doorway.

“Having trouble there, kiddo?”

Tony glares and tries again to close the door, but James stays steadfastly by the doorway, refusing to allow Tony to close it.

“OK, compromise. I shower with the door open, but you don’t come in?”

James nods, and Tony glowers at the floor and grumbles about the overprotective assassin.

“And don’t let Clint in either,” he shouts.

He turns the shower on as hot as he can make it, and waits for the mirror to steam up before undressing. He’s not going to let them catch an eyeful just because he’s not allowed to shower unmonitored.

It’s been two days since the winter soldier began living in their tower. They’ve not heard from Howard, which Tony is grateful for, but James also hasn’t left his side since. He just stands around watching Tony with careful, all-seeing eyes. Tony has barely slept a wink because all James does is sit on a chair and watch him as he tries to sleep.

“Don’t forget your pain meds,” Clint says, as Tony emerges from the bathroom in jogging bottoms and a lose shirt.

“How could I? You guys are throwing them at me every couple of seconds,” Tony complains.

His broken bones are still wrapped in their casts, and the injuries he got from the car crash and the half-kidnapping have simply further hurt him. He’s covered in bruises, and the team are trying to help him heal in the most ludicrous ways possible. Tony hasn’t even been allowed in his lab yet, despite the arguments he’s put up about it.

“You guys remember that I’m fifteen, not five, right?”

“Coulda fooled me,” Clint jokes. “Come on, Steve is making food.”

“When isn’t he making food?”

Tony isn’t sure if it’s the fact that Steve blames himself for Howard’s actions, or if it’s the fact that Bucky is around and not able to recognize them, but things have been really tense in tower, and Steve has been cooking nonstop. Tony would offer to help, but apparently the solider thinks it’s too dangerous for him to be near a stove.

He’s suffocating under it. He’s still planning his payback against Fury. It has to be something good. Something that’ll royally piss him off. Have him sent dirty emails, or change his ringtone to crazy frog, or set all the screensavers in SHEILD to pictures of Furies.

Tony throws himself on the sofa, grunting in pain when he remembers his body isn’t his friend, and he continues designing the BARF headset he wants to build for Bucky. He’s not sure if it’ll work, but he aims to do what he can to fix the damage Hydra did. He needs Bruce’s help with it though, because the wet sciences are not his forte, and he’s not had the time to study psychology.

“I’m gonna get your brain all sorted soon,” Tony tells James, despite the fact that he knows the man isn’t listening. “We’re gonna kick Hydra out and bring old Buck-duck back. How’s that sound?”

Bucky doesn’t make a sound, but Tony ploughs on with the work anyway. He’s not sure how long he’s allowed himself to live in the tablet for, but a second later it’s being pulled out of his hands and replaced with a plate.

“Hey!”

“Come on, kid. You need to eat. Fuel that brain of yours.”

“Thanks for the concern but I –”

Bucky takes the tablet from Clint and shoves it under the sofa cushion he’s sat on. He then turns back to face Tony, his face defiant.

“You can’t just… give that back!”

“Eat.”

It’s the most James has spoken in the last two days, so Tony is stunned enough that he takes a mouthful of the food without even noticing what it is. It’s not until the third bite that he notices.

“Ana made this?”

Tony had come back to the tower to learn that Jarvis and Ana had moved into a safehouse until they know that Howard isn’t going to hurt them. Tony is glad that they’re safe, but he’s still sad that they’re not around. It’s probably for the best for the time being, because Tony saw how Clint looked at them. He doesn’t trust them. He needs to find time to explain why they never came forward.

That’s for later though.

“Yes and no,” Steve answers as he comes to sit on the armchair next to the sofa. “She sent the food with instructions on how to make it properly.”

Tony will never underestimate how far those two god-sends will go to make him feel comfortable, even when they can’t be there with him. They are the only reason he’s still here. The only reason he’s still alive.

Once he’s finished eating, James replaces the plate with the pain meds and a glass of water. Tony takes two, as prescribed, and then holds his hands out for the tablet.

James actually smiles at that. But he doesn’t hand over the tablet.

“Sleep.”

“Sleep? What is this, kindergarten? I’ll sleep when I want to. In the meantime, I have a headset to build and a brain to unwash.”

“Sleep.”

“I’m not sleeping,” Tony says, crossing his arms defiantly. “I’m not even tired.”

“Who’re you kidding, Tony?” Clint asks, coming to sit next to him. “You look exhausted.”

Clint doesn’t look like he’s going to laugh at Tony or even poke fun. Tony prefers it when Clint does do that, because if he’s not teasing, he’s being sincere, and it’s not a good look on him.

“Are you having problems sleeping?” Clint asks.

“No! I’m just... busy, and James is always watching me, and I have things to do. Besides, sleep is a massive waste of time, don’t you think? So many things happen while we’re sleeping. Did you know that had I kept a ‘normal’ sleep schedule, Idve slept almost 50% of my life? Now tell me that’s not a waste. I could be doing other things. Building, learning, being better. But no, you want me to sleep and be boring and be useless.”

“You’re not useless.”

Tony frowns at James, realising belatedly that he’d been rambling a little. Ironically, it’s something he does when he’s stressed and tired. Not that he’ll admit that.

“Hydra wants you because you are useful.”

This is the first instance that James has even mentioned his old ‘employers’ and Tony can see the way Steve tenses at the mention of them.

“I thought they wanted me because of Howard.”

“No. They wanted you because they knew your father didn’t.”

What a wonderful way to completely not mince ones words. It strikes Tony pretty deep, even though it’s not exactly news. How can it be?And yet it still hurts far more than he’s happy with.

“What would they use me for?”

“Weapons.”

Tony flinches. He’s fathers legacy has weighed down on Tony for years. He harbours the guilt that comes with his own designed being used to kill people. He wishes it had never happened. He knows the world blames him for any deaths caused by the weapons his father forced him to design when he was nine. He deserves their hatred.

“I don’t make weapons.”

“You wouldn’t have been making decisions.”

Tony frowns further.

“I’ll just finish designing my cognitive recalibration device,” Tony says casually.

He reaches over to try and pull the tablet out, but James grins and pulls Tony’s arm until the teenager is sprawled over his lap.

“What is this, a brothel?” Tony complains, trying to push Bucky off. “Let me go.”

“I will. Once you have slept.”

Tony tries to push against the couch, to get enough leverage to at least roll away, but the damned soldier is using his metal arm to hold him in place and his flesh one to massage Tony’s scalp. He can’t help but sag.

“You used to do that for me,” Steve says in a shocked voice. “When I was sick but wanted to go to school.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything for a while, his fingers don’t even stop massaging, but just as Tony is pulled into sleep, he hears the winter soldier say something incredible.

“I think I remember.”

 

~

 

Tony is in his lab, finally. He’s been asking to go in for ages, and he kept being denied. Which sucks. He likes to build things. Likes to plan and create. He’s a certified genius, for Christ’s sake. He has to lessen the weight of his mind somehow, and building helps that.

Jarvis stands in the doorway watching, but Tony is used to that. Jarvis didn’t even want him in the lab, but Tony is twelve. He’s been conducting science experiments in his room since he was six. Hell, his dad made him build his first weapon three years ago.

Howard was so close to being proud of Tony, Tony could feel it. He knows it has to be true. He’s going to build the coolest things ever, and his dad will be like ‘No way, Tony, that’s so cool! I’m so proud! I love you son!’

Tony can almost hear the words now.

“Tony, my boy!”

Tony almost falls off of the stool he’s been using to work on the desk top.

“Uncle Obie! Look, I’m building a robot.”

Obadiah walks over and looks at the pile of scrap metal with a sneer.

“You’re going to be a weapons designer, Tony. You don’t have time for this kind of child’s play.”

Tony’s smile melts but he replaces it with grim determination.

“You’re right. It’s stupid.”

“Come along, my boy. I have a surprise for you.”

Tony has never been one to turn down a surprise, so he hops away from the desk, waving goodbye to Jarvis.

He hadn’t known at the time that he wouldn’t see Jarvis again for almost a year. Hadn’t known that his father and Obadiah had fallen out over news that Obie had been double dealing. He had no idea that he was about to be sold to terrorists who wanted to work him to death.

 

~

 

“You remember?” Steve asks.

“Maybe?” The soldier shrugs, trying not tojostle his sleeping charge.

“You used to grab me by the ankle when you found my sneaking out when I was really sick. My ma used to beat my ass for it, because leaving my bed never failed to make me sicker.”

“Why leave?”

“I was bored, Buck. I was jealous. You got to go out and play war with all our friends and I was stuck in bed being useless.”

James looks down at Tony and then back up at Steve.

“I think we played war,” he says quietly.

“We didn’t play, Buck. We fought.”

Tony shifts in his sleep, curling up on the soldiers lap.

“I want to remember.”

“You will, buddy. And if there’s anyone who can make that happen, it’s Tony Stark.”

Tony shifts again, though it’s more of a spasm this time. He whimpers. Both super soldiers look down at him with concern.

“Nightmare. Should we wake him?” Steve asks.

Before Bucky can reply, the lights go out and the noises of the building whir into silence.

“Someone is in the tower,” Bucky says, standing up and cradling the still sleeping genius to his chest.

“Howard. He’s come for Tony. Keep

Him safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Your comments make me happy 🤩😍


	7. I’m safer in the suit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Howard is back and Tony is NOT SAFE I REPEAT NOT SAFE

Tony wakes up to absolute chaos. He is being carried through the tower, which is pitch black for some reason, and he can hear gun fire somewhere around him. He has maybe a second of blurry confusion before he realises that something is seriously wrong and he needs to do something to fix it soon.

“Buck, let me down,” Tony demands.

“I must protect you.”

“Um, just cause my dad beat me up doesn’t mean I’m not a superhero anymore.”

Tony feels a flash of anxiety once he’s said the words, and he’s suddenly unsure. They wouldn’t kick him off the team, would they? He knows they probably saw it as a weakness, but it’s more complicated than that. He’s sure even his father knows that Tony could take him out with the suit on. But Tony couldn’t do that. His father is his legacy, and he purposefully chose to keep the abuse to himself.

“Bucky, I’m serious. Let me down. I just need to grab my suit.”

Tony can’t help but think how useful it would be to be able to call his suit to him. He has to put that on the list on things to do.

“It’s on the floor below,” Tony pleads.

Bucky doesn’t seem to be listening. Tony tries to push away from him, but he’s still a fifteen year old boy and this man is a super soldier with a goddamn metal arm and Tony is powerless to do anything.

“I’m safer in the suit!”

Bucky seems to stall at that, and Tony uses that sudden uncertainty to free himself. He ducks into the stairway and races down the stairs. Bucky catches up quickly, but Tony has the suit wrapping around him already.

“Where’s the threat?”

Bucky seems torn, enough that some more human is seeping through his ice cold exterior. Though that might be the grogginess of him having just woken up from his highly involuntary nap.

Bucky needn’t answer though, because the sound of gunshots below tells Tony more than he needs to know. He powers up off the ground and seconds later he’s out the window and searching for the floor with the problem.

When he sees Clint, Steve and Natasha facing off with a man who’s face is hidden by shadows, Tony shatters the window and lands next to them, repulsors aimed at the assailant.

“Son.”

Tony freezes as his father comes into the light. His hand with the repulsor shot ready falls to his side.

“Tony, I’m so sorry about what I did. I regret it. Every second. You deserve better. I never told you I was proud. I should have told you that.”

Tony wavers. His dad never said he was proud. He always thought of Tony as a failure for not being Captain America. Made sure Tony knew what his father thought of his shortcomings. But not now.

“Really?”

“Yes. You’re a genius. Look at your suit. It’s an engineering marvel! You’ve done us all proud! You mama and I were never good parents to you, but we love you. Come home. We can talk this through. We can be a family.”

“Tony, he’s trying to trick you,” Clint warns.

“But...”

But Tony’s dad says he loves him. He says he’s proud. Tony can’t just ignore that.

He allows the suit to fall away from him as he steps towards his father cautiously.

Howard pulls him into a hug at the same time that a gunshot sparks through the air.

At first, Tony doesn’t understand what is happening. And the he’s on his knees, clutching at his stomach.

“Dad?”

Howard sneers at him and kicks him over.

“You always were pathetic.”

And then, in the midst of chaos, Tony looses sight of everything and allows the darkness around him to tear at his soul.

 

~

 

Clint watches as Tony dies in his arms. He’d jumped to the kids side the moment Howard had been detained. He pulled Tony onto his lap and held his face as it lost all colour. He screamed at Tony to wake up, but the boy said nothing.

Bruce appeared seconds later and he rushed to Tony’s side, ripping the kids shirt off and using it to stem the flow of blood rapidly pooling around his body.

“Pleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdie,” Clint hears himself begging.

Bruce is shouting instructions, but Clint can’t hear them. He’s just praying and shouting and screaming. Someone needs to save Tony.

Bucky skids into the room seconds later looking panicked. He tries to attack Howard, but Steve jumps in the way.

Natasha is trying to calm everyone down, but the chaos ensues.

Paradmedics run in and Tony is pried from Clints arms and strapped to a gurney. They use a fully functioning medical bay on the tenth floor, and Clint mindlessly follows them, only stopping when Bruce puts a hand on his chest.

“He’s in good hands, Clint,” Bruce promises.

He pushes Clint into a cold plastic chair and then disappears through the door. Clint waits.

 

~

 

An hour passes.

 

No news.

 

~

 

Five hours go by.

 

Steve and Natasha join the silent vigil.

 

Still no news.

 

~

 

They’re nearing on fifteen hours.

 

Clint is pacing. Steve has his head in his hands. Natasha is unmoving, staring at the wall, hiding all of her emotions beneath the surface.

 

~

 

Twenty hours pass.

Bruce steps through the door wearing scrubs and blood. He pulls the mask down to reveal a grim face.

“He’s really injured. The bullet is like nothing we’ve seen before. It exploded on impact and has left shrapnel in his chest. It was really touch and go, but Tony is currently hooked up to an electromagnet and it’s stalling the shrapnel from in chest, preventing it from entering his heart. He won’t be able to leave the bed until we have a better alternative and ironically, the only person capable of doing that is Tony.”

Clint is trying to parse through the words to find the good news.

 

Tony is alive, but incapacitated. He’ll live as long as his genius does. And if Clint knows Tony, which he’s sure he does, Tony will figure it out.

 

“We need to give him time to wake up and then come to terms with his condition. You should all go wash up and sleep. We’ll alert you to any changes in his condition.”

Clint is hesitant to move, but Natasha takes his hand and pulls him away.

 

~

 

Clint managed to sleep for a full three hours before panic roused him again. Unable to fall back asleep, he pulled on some sweats and a large sweatshirt and went back to the tenth floor.

“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?”

Both of the super soldiers were still sat in the seats looking considerably less tired than they should.

“We don’t need sleep,” Steve says. “But we do need to be here for Tony when he wakes up.”

Bucky nods, his eyes not moving from the door.

“Where’s Howard?”

“He’s in prison. He won’t be seeing the daylight any time soon.”

“We should kill him,” Bucky rasps.

Steve sighs. It’s clearly not the first time this conversation has happened.

“No, Buck, we shouldn’t. There’s a legal process we need to respect here, and murder as a revenge tactic is useless. Besides, Tony won’t forgive us. Ever. He... dammit he still wants his dads approval.”

Clint sits on the chair beside Steve and frowns.

“Yeah, it’s not ideal. I’m sure we can figure it out though. He just needs better role models. That can be us.”

Clint sounds far more optimistic than he feels, but it’s a good start.

All three men stand up when Bruce appears.

“Tony’s awake but he’s...” Bruce grimaces. “He’s being difficult.”

Clint, Steve and Bucky all follow Bruce through the door and stop by Tony’s bedside. Tony, while looking tiny in the bed and pale even in contrast to the white sheets, is grinning.

“S’up homies.”

Clint frowns.

“You’re awfully chipper for someone that was just shot.”

Tony looks down at his bandaged torso and shrugs, though he flinches in pain at the action.

“This? This is nothing. You should see the other guy. Anyway, I’m thinking we build a self-sufficient electromagnet and I can use the arc reactor that powers this building, just smaller, right? Dad reckons it cant be done, but it can, just watch me. Anyway, it’ll only take a week or so, but Bruce is being a real ass and won’t let me leave the bed. Can one of you tackle him and the other can help me to my lab.”

“You can’t leave the bed,” Bruce says, pinching his nose. “Come on, Tony. Use your head.”

“That’s boring. I’d rather user my hands. Just let me out.”

Clint can’t understand what’s happening. How is Tony not screaming at the unfairness? Asking why his dad would hurt him so. Sobbing quietly and begging to be left alone.

“Can someone call my dad for me? I need to see what he thinks of the plans.”

“We can’t, Tony,” Clint says, slowly. “He’s in prison.”

Tony’s head snaps up.

“Why?”

“He shot you,” Steve says.

“My dad? Don’t be ridiculous Steve. That was a body double. My dad would never hurt me.”

Clint takes a step back, confused.

What is going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tad later than I’d wanted.  
> My apologies. Life happened today.


	8. Forcefeeding lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was 36 minutes away from getting this in on the 29th and now I’m a bit annoyed. I was so close.

“Tony, Howard is the one who shot you,” Clint says. “We’ve got video footage.”

Tony seems happy to completely ignore this and holds out a hand to Bruce.

“Come on, I need to do some inventing and since you seem adamant on refusing to let me out of bed, I’d rather you at least gave me something to work on. Pass me a Starktab.”

Bruce is staring at Tony in confusion.

“Bruce? You in there, dude?”

“Let’s make a deal,” Bruce brokers. “Let me run a mental diagnostics and I’ll help you figure out how you’ll miniaturise the arc reactor.”

“Deal! Though you should know, up here?” Tony taps his head. “it’s a bunch of wild crap.”

“You don’t say,” Clint mutters.

Bruce settles on the edge of the bed and pulls out a small flashlight and shines it into Tony’s eyes, asking him to follow it.

He then asks Tony to repeat the events of the last week, and Clint is growing more concerned with the more Tony talks. It’s like he has the basic understanding of the events without the comprehension of why. He knows he left the mansion. He knows he was in foster care for a few days. He remembers Buckys sudden appearance and there being a threat on the tower. He remembers being shot. The only thing missing is Howard.

“Do you remember who shot you?” Bruce asks.

Tony shrugs and pulls a face.

“Dunno. Probably some evil doer with a problem. Isn’t that always the case?”

“You don’t remember your dad hurting you?”

Tony looks shocked at the idea and then angry.

“You can’t go around accusing my dad of doing something like that,” Tony hisses. “My dad is a good man. Distant, but good.”

Bruce looks at Steve, Bucky and Clint desperately. Clint doesn’t know what to say. He didn’t expect this at all.

“Denial?” he suggests. “It can’t be amnesia, cause he clearly remembers everything else.”

“I mean, he is still young. He still idolises his father. It’s likely,” Bruce agrees.

“Hey; lets not talk about me like I’m not here,” Tony complains. “What’s going on?”

Bruce sighs and asks them all to leave. Clint is hesitant to. He wants to be here for Tony. He wants to help him with it when he comes to learn the truth, but it’s obviously not going to be that easy. He follows Steve out of the door, Bucky reluctantly being dragged along behind them.

They sit on the chairs again and hear the soft voices inside. They hear Tony’s confusion and then rage. They hear him scream at Bruce, but there’s pain in his voice. An understanding that comes with Bruce’s explanation fitting into what he remembers. It hurts to hear. Clint knows all about bad parents and the steadfast refusal to accept the abuse is happening. It’s easier to focus on the times when ones parents are nice than it is to accept when they’re being awful, no matter how frequent the former is.

Empathy doesn’t help though. In fact, it just makes him angrier that he failed to notice these issues earlier on. He should have seen the signs, persisted with his questioning, because now that he really thinks about it, Tony showed up with unexplained injuries more times that Clint can count.

“I failed my mission,” Bucky says suddenly. “I must report back to base.”

Before either of them have the chance to stop him, Bucky is up and running away from them. Steve is about to follow after him, but Clint stops him.

“There’s a tracker embedded in his arm. We can follow him later. If he goes back to Hydra, it’ll allow us to take them down and learn about where else they may be operating.”

Steve looks between the place that Bucky disappeared and Clint, his mind trying to figure out if that is truly the best plan. He obviously settles on it, because he nods and sits back down.

The silence is heavy and filled with questions and anxieties that neither of them want to voice.

 

~

 

Tony is angry. He’s angry at Bruce for telling him that his dad shot him. Angry at himself for thinking it makes sense. But his dad wouldn’t do that, would he? Yes, Howard hasn’t really warmed up to Tony yet. No, Tony doesn’t see it happening any time soon. But that’s Tony’s fault. He’s not trying hard enough. He needs to be better to prove that he’s worth his dads time.

He’s sure that fixing the arc reactor and putting it in his chest will be enough to prove his worth.

Bruce left five minutes ago after Tony screamed himself raw. He’d begged and demanded to be left alone and while Bruce didn’t want to, be eventually went.

Tony doesn’t regret it. He needs space. He needs to be away from the people accusing his father of hurting him.

Tony looks at his stomach angrily. It hurts really bad, and he knows that moving would be a bad idea, but if the Avengers are going to try and force feed him lies about his father. Now would be an excellent time to be able to call his suit to him. He’d have to sneak out to find it, and take this damned hospital battery with him, plus the team are all outside so he’d never sneak past.

He picks up the tablet that Bruce left and begins to play around with ideas.

While having shrapnel is his chest clawing it’s way to his heart is a bad thing, the miniaturised arc reactor would never have come to him otherwise.

And the suit has been powered by a heavy battery that only lasts for seven hours at a time. He’s never had a battle last that long before, but the battle of New York was a close call for lots of reasons. He could power it with the AR and power his body too. He could really work with that. It’d look pretty cool.

Tony gets to designing, ignoring the doctors who come and go and paying no heed to the changing daylight and Bruce’s insistence that he sleeps. He’s not sure how long it takes until he’s done, but he shouts out in excitement and cries out in pain a second later.

Bucky comes in a second later and Tony has to do a double take because Bucky did not look like that the last time they saw each other.

“What is happening? Did I go back in time?”

Bucky’s hair in short, his skin is clear and he just looks younger. At least 20. The difference is incredible.

“This is down to you,” the man says with a clear Brooklyn accent. “Your BARF technology.”

“My...” Tony looks down at the tablet and realises that he apparently was running several times projects at one time. “Oh right.”

Tony got into a habit of doing three or four things at a time, normally one big project and a few small ones. His father said any time spent idle was wasted, so while he was thinking about one project he’d work on the next until he figured out whatever he needed.

But the BARF project and this AR and the, hell is that another Iron Man armour?

Man, he’s really putting the effort in. His dad is gonna be blown away.

“It worked?”

Bucky looks confused but amused and Jesus Christ he’s didn’t show that much emotion before.

“Kid, you look like you’re about to have an aneurism.”

“I’m just... uh... tired I guess?”

“You guess.”

“I don’t know how long I haven’t slept for.”

“In the last week and a half, you slept only when I put you under, and I honestly don’t think you noticed.”

“You’re right, I didn’t.”

Bruce sighs and pushes Tony’s hands out of the way so he can check the stomach injury. Tony watches with curious eyes that droop every few seconds. Bucky snorts a laugh, and watches as Tony essentially passes out.

“This has been a weird week,” Bruce says casually. “Even by Avenger standards.”

“I have nothing to compare it to except 70 years of Hydra conditioning.”

“...right...”

Bucky grins.

He might not be completely back yet, but he’s close enough. And if there’s anything from that life he’s willing to drag over, it’s his last order.

He has to protect Tony Stark at all costs.


	9. It’s not your fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony breaks down, Bucky is embracing fatherhood, Clint is confused

Tony has been sleeping for almost twelve hours and Bucky hasn’t left his side the entire time. He has had his feet propped up on the bed and napped for an hour here and there, and has eaten food Steve has been bringing him while reading up on the last seventy years, but he’s not left the kids side at all.

He can’t. It’s like he’s a magnet and the kid is metal. He feels a pull and it’s impossible to ignore.

Plus, if what he’s heard from the team is anywhere near accurate, then Tony is bound to try something stupid and life threatening sometime soon. Bucky is sworn to protect him, even if it’s from himself.

He also needs to ask whether Tony can make something that will erase everything he remembers, regardless of how static the memory is. He wants to have what Steve has. A missing seventy years, with no filler. No lives ended by his hand, no death, destruction, control. He wants to be rid of it.

 

~

 

Tony wakes up and the first thing he notices is the sound of someone snoring. He’s groggy, his brain hurts and he’s still tired but he forces his eyes open and looks around.

“Jesus Christ you weren’t a dream,” he mutters quietly.

The new and improved Bucky startles awake as if Tony had screamed it, and he jumps up, scanning the room, before settling back into his seat with an easy smile.

“Morning sleeping gremlin,” Bucky grins.

“I know you’re old and stuff, but it’s sleeping beauty, not gremlin.”

“That’s a matter of opinion I think.”

Tony likes new Bucky. He’s sharp. He works well with sharp.

“So, my brain child fixed your brain problems,” Tony says. “Wanna tell me how?”

Tony is annoyed when Bucky shrugs. He’d been hoping for an in-depth description of how the project went from paper to reality and how the process worked for Bucky. A shrug answers none of these questions. In fact, it just raises more.

“What do you mean?”

Bucky shrugs again. Tony glowers.

“I though you said you were better now? That BARF helped fix you? Shouldn’t your vocabulary be a little broader?”

“You’re funny, kid, but I just don’t know the details of it. Steve and Bruce were there. I was mostly... not.”

“I wish everyone wasn’t so cryptic around here! They’re either lying or trying to trick me and I’m not OK with that.”

“You’ve suffered a severe trauma and your memory is a bit messed up. You don’t remember but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”

“You’re on that bandwagon, eh?” Tony asks, angrily. “It’s ridiculous! My dad would never do such a thing! He —“

Tony falters when he sees Bucky playing a video on his phone; it shows Tony appearing through a window and standing between Clint and Steve. They’re talking to a man who steps out of the shadows. Tony emerges from his suit and Howard pulls him into a hug.

Tony is about to laugh aloud and say ‘see!’ but then Tony is falling to the ground and Howard is holding the literal smoking gun.

“Like I said,” Tony adamantly states, “it was a body-double.”

“Does it look like a body double?”

“I... it has to be. My dad would never!”

“Tony, do you honestly believe that?”

Tony’s mouth starts to form words but no sounds come out. His hands start twisting on top of the sheets and his eyes fill with tears.

“It has to be.”

Bucky moves to Tony’s side and puts an arm around him. Tony doesn’t mean to, but he leans into his side.

“It’s not your fault, kid.”

Tony starts to shake and the tears spill over.

“But if I’d just tried harder.”

“Your dad would not have been any different.”

“He would have loved me.”

“He did love you, Tony,” Bucky says. “But he was also abusive.”

“You don’t shoot the people you love,” Tony says. “You don’t hurt them like he did to me.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I shouldn’t have let myself slack!”

“It’s not your fault, Tony.”

“But —“

“No. It’s not your fault. It was never your fault. It will never be your fault. Do you understand?”

Tony can’t stop himself as he breaks down. Each heaving sob pulls on the stitches in his stomach, and Bucky feels every wince.

The machines start to beep and Bruce comes rushing in. He doesn’t spare a second to ask why Tony is growing hysterical. Bucky just holds the boy tight as Bruce pushes some sedatives to calm him down.

Tony’s heartbreaking sobs taper out and his body goes limp against Bucky’s. He waits until he’s sure the boy is completely asleep before he slowly lowers him back onto the bed and tucks the sheet around him.

“You never change,” Steve says fondly.

“Well, seventy years of torture and being forced to kill people does that to a person.”

Steve’s smile drops and is replaced by an unimpressed look.

“You’re not any funnier now than you were in our youth.”

“I am. My humour just got darker.”

Steve rolls his eyes but they settle on Tony and his face drops.

“This is my fault.”

“Jesus Christ, everyone here is forcing Howard’s actions into their own shoulders. Being taken out of the ice isn’t your fault, and it’s timing even more so. Tony isn’t to blame for his fathers standards being higher than the Eiffel Tower either. It’s not fair. Howard is a bastard and that’s on him. Not you and not Tony.”

Steve sighs and smiles a little.

“How did you get so wise?”

“I’d call it seventy years of —“

“Yeah yeah, I get it.”

Bucky looks back at Tony’s sleeping form as figures he can head out for a while. He puts an arm around Steve and together they head upstairs for a drink and a chat. They have a lot to talk about.

 

~

 

Clint is restless. He hates feeling restless. Tony is in pain, emotionally and physically.And he hates it. He hates that Tony, the kid they took a chance on, has proven that he’s still just a child.

Clint isn’t thinking about taking him off of the team, but Fury and Natasha are secretly discussing it as a possibility. Clearly this recent development has changed their opinions. And it’s worse because he understands. He is seeing Tony is a new light. But taking the Avengers away from him would only make things worse. He doesn’t feel like he has much more going for him now. His father abused him, his mother has walked away, and worse, Ana is sick. They don’t even know how they’re going to explain the last two to the kid. He was lost to his tablet the entire time everything was falling apart and none of them wanted to hurt him further.

So, now Clint is pacing the lounge of the communal floor and contemplating how he’s going to fight Tony’s case but also wondering how he’ll overcome his new view of the kid when it comes to being out in the field.

He’s on his fiftieth lap of the lounge when Bucky, Steve, Natasha and Bruce all arrive on the floor at the same time.

“We need to talk about Tony,” Natasha says.

A flash of lightening fills the room and Thor is suddenly in the middle of them.

“We need to talk about Loki,” he says. “He’s bringing another army.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meh. That isn’t my best work. Sorry.


	10. Reindeer games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki wuz ‘ere

“Loki?” Clint asks, his body tensing. “Why?”

“He’s escaped our cells and we do not know where he is.”

Thor seems quite blasè about the fact, and Clint does not appreciate that one little bit. Loki tried to destroy the planet, very nearly saw to the end of New York and had it not been for Tony risking his life for theirs, he would have succeeded. This is, obviously, ignoring the fact that he took control of Clint’s body and had him do things he’d never do normally.

“How did he do that?”

“Well, as you know, Loki is a trickster. He is capable of many things we do not fully understand. He is the most advanced mage in Asgard.”

Nothing that Thor is saying is making Clint feel anything other than worsening fear. Their team is in a bad place right now, what with the shock of James Barnes and Tony’s situation. They’re not exactly a cohesive unit right now.

“Will he be returning to earth?” Steve asks.

“I am uncertain but during his incarceration, he made his interest in Tony quite well known. We have to be prepared to keep him under lock and key should Loki make it his mission to take him.”

Bucky goes rigid and Bruce looks positively alarmed by the news.

“We should set up a twenty-four hour watch until the threat has been neutralised,” Bucky says, already walking towards the elevator.

“He won’t appreciate that,” Steve says. “He’ll rebel.”

“Not if we don’t tell him what we’re doing,” Clint offers. “Just make it look like we’re hanging out.”

“He’s too smart,” Bruce says, “he’ll know within a few hours.”

“Maybe if we explain to him the threat on his life?” Thor suggests.

“That will only piss him off more.”

Bruce talking sense seems to only piss everyone off more, but it’s undeniable. Tony is very easily annoyed by people trying to be protective of him. He hates when the team treat him like he’s a kid, somehow for all his genius he fails to understand why they might feel overprotective of him.

“We’ll take it in turns,” Bruce says. “Regardless of how he may feel about it, we can’t let him be taken while he’s vulnerable.”

“Right,” Steve agrees. “We’ll weather his reluctance and anger as it happens.”

The team nod, but Clint reminds himself to not to forget Natasha. He needs to know what she and Fury planned.

Clint follows them down to the med bay where the doctors are running around like headless chickens. Clints heart starts to race and they all speed up in their rush to Tony’s room.

“He’s gone,” Bucky shouts. “He’s disappeared, medical equipment and all.”

 

~

 

“Who are you and what do you want?” Tony spits, as he uses the pole of his IV and battery to stay upright.

“You do not know?” the man asks, pacing the floor. “Strange, since I threw you out of the window.”

“Loki? What the shivering fuck, man. What are you... ah, shit. Ow.”

Tony’s knees buckle and much to his surprise, Loki is at his side and holding him upright.

“You are sick,” Loki states.

“Yeah, no shit Sherlock, I’m literally attached to machines right now.”

Loki clicks his fingers and a large, sprawling lab appears around them. Where before it was a small white room, it is now closer resembling a warehouse, but warmer and brighter.

“Fix yourself,” Loki demands. “I know you are a genius, so you can certainly heal all your ailments.”

Tony grunts and pushes away from Loki to lean heavily on a workshop table.

“I need some things. Get them and I can fix myself.”

Loki nods, a small smile on his face. Tony begins rattling off things that he needs and as he says them, they appear on an empty table next to him.

Once he’s finished, he’s grinning with surprise and excitement.

“I’ve never worked so heavily injured. If you can refrain from killing me, reindeer games, you’re about to see a brand of Stark magic.”

“Midgardians have no magic.”

“That’s racist. You think cause you’re a thousand years old and have fancy horns, you have the monopoly on magic? Get over yourself old man. Besides, I’ve been hearing rumours and certain people on Earth. Magic is definitely a thing. A thing I fully intend to study and learn, but a thing nonetheless.”

“You are a weak mortal. Still in your infancy. Magic is out of your reach.”

“You’re pretty sure if yourself, you Horns. You don’t even know me. Don’t presume to understand my limitations.”

Tony is starting up a Bunsen burner and slowly melting the necessary ingredients as they talk. Loki’s eyes flicker between Tony’s face and his handiwork.

“I have observed earth. I know of its abilities. True magic, the magic I am capable of, is not something you or any midgargian can harness. I promise you that.”

“Yeah yeah, blah blah blah. I’ve heard it all before. I’m well known for breaking expectations I’ll have you know.”

“Truly? Well, it certainly something I am interested in watching you fail at.”

Tony laughs aloud at that and then shakes his head, hiding a wince.

“You’ve a lot to learn about me.”

They lapse into silence then, and Tony’s entire focus centres around the project at hand. If his maths is right, and it always is, he’ll have this done in twelve hours. Though, judging by the intensity of the pain and it’s rapid increase, he’s not sure he can stay conscious for that time. Well, he’s not one to quit and he’ll die before he gives up trying to stay alive.

“You need rest,” Loki says several hours later.

“Nu uh. I need to finish this.”

“You will be able to finish later. For now, mortal, you need to sleep.”

Tony is about to argue, especially because he said ‘mortal’ like it was a bad word, but before he gets the chance, Loki is right up in his personal space and putting a finger on his temple. Then, seamlessly, Tony falls into a sleep.

 

~

 

“Filth,” a man shouts as he kicks Tony in the ribs. “Stane sent us a child to do a mans work?”

Tony whimpers. He doesn’t mean to, but it hurts and he’s scared, and he wants his mom and Jarvis and dad. He can’t believe Uncle Obie would do this to him. He was family. Has been for years. And now he’s sold Tony to terrorists to have him make weapons.

Well, that ain’t happening any time soon.

“Take him to Yinsen. If we dont have a Jericho missile in one week, we’ll squeeze it out of them.”

Tony is then pulled up by the scruff of his neck and dragged through dirty, dusty cave hallways.

“Welcome home,” the man laughs brutally, as he throws Tony into a room. “You’ll die before you see the outside again, so make the most of your final days.”

Tony stays lying on the floor as the door behind him slams. A second passes and then light footsteps rush towards him.

He hears a gasp and then hands are on his shoulders, pulling him upright.

“But you’re a child,” the man says. “You are still so young. Why do they have you?”

Tony looks up at an older man with kind eyes.

“Because I’m a genius,” he jokes. “I’m useful, apparently.”

“Those bastards.”

 

~

 

Tony wakes with a start. He’s laying in a large, soft double bed and the med equip is still beeping away next to him.

“You’re awake. It’s about time.”

Tony lazily turns towards the voice and grins when he finds Loki.

“S’up Shakespeare in the park. You watching me sleep?”

“I was ensuring you’re detainment.”

“Whatever you say, creepazoid.”

Loki’s eyebrows raise up and Tony takes it as his cue. He pushes himself up, stoically ignoring the fringe of agony that sears over his stomach.

“Right. Back to work.”

Loki clicks his fingers and they’re back in the warehouse. Tony rocks on his feet as he gets his bearings and then looks down at a pile of toast and a large cup of coffee.

“Omg. Coffee. My love. My life.”

He downs the scalding heaven and then rolls his shoulder and pushes up his sleeves.

“Time to work.”

 

~

 

Clint is not panicking. He is being very well put together as he screams at Thor to find their resident teenage genius.

“Clint, calm down, it is not Thor’s fault,” Natasha soothes.

“They let the crazed lunatic loose! Said lunatic took Tony and lord knows what type of torture the kid is going through! We need to find him! Thor! Find him!”

“I will return to Asgard. Heimdell sees all. We will find the man of Iron. Do not panic.”

Clint isn’t panicking. He’s not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that! I’m before midnight. Winning.


	11. Fine, I’ll talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki just chillin’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry this is so late. I’m honestly just drowning in work rn and I haven’t really found the time.

“You should eat,” Loki advises. “It has been seven hours since you woke and you have only taken in your coffee.”

Tony waves Loki away with an irritated growl. Can’t the man see that he’s busy?

“Stark —“

“Oh my god. I thought you were some evil

God-type with a murder complex. Why are you acting like my mother.”

“Somebody needs to. You are young and clearly quite irresponsible with your health.”

“Irresponsible? You kidnapped me, remember? From a hospital bed!”

“I may have made some rash decisions regarding my behaviour.”

“Rash? No. This is probably the best thing you could have done. I have the feeling that the team were about to smother me in worry.”

Tony turns back to his work, rubbing his arm over his forehead. The reactor was coming along nicely but he’d have to more than double his finish time if Loki kept insisting he eat and sleep. Tony has never been one to ‘rest’ before and he certainly doesn’t intend to start now.

He’s just reaching over for a blowtorch when the table melts away. Tony stares at the place where the table was, and then turns on Loki, pointing an accusatory finger.

“Bring it back!” he demands.

“Of course.”

Another table takes its place but this one has sandwiches weighing it down.

“Are these real?” Tony asks as he inspects one.

“Of course. Magic isn’t an illusion.”

“So these sandwiches still hold all of their nutritional value?”

“Yes.”

Tony sits down on the stool and stares at the sandwiches for a little longer.

“Magic doesn’t make sense.”

“It does when you wield it,” Loki replies, a little smug.

“How do you create something from nothing?”

“I’m not creating anything from nothing. It all comes from something.”

“What exciting is that ‘something’?”

“Magic.”

Tony groans and leans against the seat, completely forgetting that the stool has no back. Loki jumps behind him and catches him before his head hits the floor. Tony grins sheepishly as he’s carefully pushed back upwards.

“I have a flair for the dramatics,” he admits, taking a bite of a tuna sandwich. “My bad.”

“Your personality will be the death of you,” Loki tells him sagely.

“Oh jeez, thanks dude.”

Loki shrugs and picks himself up a sandwich.

“Mortal food is so simple,” he notes with disdain. “At least Asgard knew how to do food.”

“Why’d you hate Asgard?” Tony asks, taking a chicken sandwich and stuffing it in his mouth. “Do they all look like Thor and you felt a little left out?”

Loki stiffens and his smile freezes in place. Tony realises he’s struck gold and has an internal debate about whether he should push further or retreat. Undecided, he just grabs another sandwich and shoves it in, caring little for the etiquette his mother taught him before she got weird.

“How long until your heart is finished?”

Tony scowls at Loki for calling it that, but then looks down at his chest and figures that it’s no far off.

“Maybe twelve hours if you let me go on without more interruptions.”

“If you’re referring to my constant need to feed you and put you to bed, like you were nothing more than a child, I would consider them a staple of our time together.”

“I’ll eat and sleep after. This is far more important.”

“As you may have noticed, there truly is no debate. You will adhere to a healthy schedule whether you like it or not.”

Tony scowls but since he’s kinda out of his power limit here, and currently living purely on the power of a car battery, he figures fighting against him won’t be the best option.

“Sure, whatever.”

Loki smirks and together they eat as many sandwiches as they can. Tony grows bored of eating and then turns beseeching eyes on Loki.

“You do not truly believe that will work?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Tony says defensively.

“You’re ‘puppy’ eyes. I am a god. I cannot be lured by ‘cuteness’.”

Tony almost rears back in indignation, but memory of his last over dramatic outburst keeps him contained.

“I think you’re being ridiculous.” Tony crosses his arms and glares. “I don’t do anything ‘cute’.”

“You are wrong. But I will let it slide for now.”

Tony wants to argue, but a second later the food disappears and is promptly replaced by his work table. He grins and throws himself back into it.

“We wasted an entire forty minutes, you know.”

“Only you would consider time spent eating as wasted,” Loki laughs.

Tony chooses to ignore him for now and continues with his work.

Without warning the table disappears again and is replaced by a roast dinner set for two.

“What the hell man!” Tony shouts angrily. “We just ate!”

“Six hours ago,” Loki tells him calmly. “You still need to eat.”

Tony blinks and realises that yeah, it’s been a while. He’s not hungry yet though, but before he manages to complain, Loki is already replying:

“You need to eat at regular intervals. I have conducted some research into the health of mortals who are wounded, and proper and regular nutrition and rest is important. You can work for three more hours after this meal, and then you will go to sleep.”

“What is this, kindergarten?”

“If you insist on behaving like a child, I will not hesitate to treat you like one,” Loki threatens, and Tony knows instantly that he’s no joking.

“Fine. Be like that, Jerki.”

Loki looks unimpressed and simply waves towards the food until Tony starts to eat. He figures it’s the quickest way to get back to work. Sadly, Loki seems to deem it an appropriate time to start talking.

“Why do you work yourself so hard, when other mortals your age are playing on their two wheeled vehicles and their televised games?”

Tony pauses with the fork halfway to his mouth.

“I dunno.”

“I think you do, but you refuse to admit to yourself the truth.”

“Bullshit,” Tony growls. “Maybe I’m just passionate about my work.”

Loki is silent for just a minute before speaking again. His words are weighed with consideration and Tony’s scowl grows.

“You have a troubled relationship with your parental figures,” Loki states. “Such a thing is not unusual. Even among us gods.”

“Yeah, you and dad didn’t get along?”

“Not in so many words, no,” Loki says with a self deprecating smile. “Much less after I learned that he had stolen me from my planet and forced an illusion on me, so that I looked like one of them.”

Tony is stunned by this pronouncement. Loki has always just been an unhinged god with a lust for chaos and suddenly he’s this dude who’s dad turned out to not be his dad.

“That sucks, eh?”

Loki almost looks like he wants to laugh, and Tony shrugs and shovels more food in. He’s not sure if it’s a conversation opening and he really doesn’t want to be psychoanalysed. He’s more broken than he is human and he doesn’t want to leave that on display.

“You may speak your mind with me, child.”

Tony rolls his eyes.

“Thank you. How gracious.”

They eat the rest of the meal in silence and Tony jumps right back into his work the moment the workshop reappears. The silence stretches and stretches until Tony is squirming where he stands. He can’t completely drown himself in the work like normal because the weight of Loki’s eyes does not leave him shoulders.

“Fine,” Tony growls, throwing down some tools. “Fine, I’ll talk, but it doesn’t leave this room, Ok?”

“I agree to your terms.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind comments!!!


	12. Why does my dad hate me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony talks and each word hurts more than the last

“It’s nothing interesting,” Tony says quietly. “It’s probably normal, anyway.”

Loki waits patiently for Tony to continue, and Tony tries to line up the story in his mind.

“My dad has never really liked me,” Tony admits. “Not since I was born, but I always had my mom and Jarvis and Ana around. and then my mom got sick. We never talked about it, but she was on these depression meds and she just... changed. She stopped talking and eventually she stopped coming out of her room. I think that was my fault.”

Loki doesn’t say anything to that, but Tony has the distinct feeling that he wants to.

“Anyway, my dad has always been distant, pushing me to be better. He wanted me to be Captain America I think. Steve going under the ice was hard on him. Steve was his greatest creation, and I was a mistake. A fuck up. And well, a few years down the line, Dad’s business partner, my Uncle, sold me to terrorists and my dad didn’t even try to find me. He just assumed I was dead and left it at that. But not Steve Rodgers. No. He doubled his efforts to find the one he really cared about. On the day that I escaped, the day Rhodes found me in the desert, Howard found Steve in the ice. It’s poetic really. Kind of a fire and ice situation. The one he didn’t want was pulled from the wreckage of his own saviour, and the one he did want was rescued from the result of his own sacrifice. I guess I can understand why dad wanted Steve over me.”

Tony picks up the motherboard of his work and starts tweaking it, needing something to do with his hands. He’s growing agitated and upset just talking about it, and he needs to funnel it into something.

“Anyway, Rhodey brings me home, and my dad isn’t there. It was Jarvis and Ana. I didn’t say anything, cause I was so happy to be home that I felt like I was ruining it. But it didn’t last long. We were met by a horde of media personnel and one of them asks what I think about Captain America being found. I was very mature about it, stating that I was happy the hero had been saved, but the moment we were in the car, I guess I just broke. I’d been tortured and beaten and kept in a cave for three months and my dad couldn’t even come see me. He was too busy with Captain perfect.”

Tony’s movements get furious and his shaking hands slip and he cuts his hand.

“I didn’t see my dad for three weeks. He was helping Steve with the rehabilitation. I was in hospital for one week, and then I had to go see a therapist who wanted to know what happened. Every time I tried to talk I had a panic attack and I needed to take my mind off of it. So I started building the Iron Man suit. I guess I wanted my dad to notice me, to tell me I was doing a good job. It was stupid. I’m stupid. He didn’t even care. Even when my dad came home, all he talked about was Steve Rodgers this, Captain America that. It’s like he didn’t even notice I was there. He probably didn’t notice I was gone.”

Once the motherboard was installed into the casing on the Arc Reactor, Tony started on fixing the palladium core, the final step. Loki was still silent, and Tony appreciated it. Clearly having the opportunity to really let it all out is good for him. Even if it hurts to do so.

“Well, the Iron Man suit was done and I tried to show my dad, and he was busy making plans to help Steve acclimatise. He slapped me across the face for the interruption and knocked me into the bookshelf. I had a cut on my face from the ring, and my dad shouted at me to leave, so I ran. I hid in my workshop, trying to figure out what happened. When I couldn’t, I had to do something else. Something bigger. Something that would make him proud of me. I hacked SHIELD and learnt about the Avengers Initiative. I had to wait, figure out how best to make myself known. If SHIELD noticed me and wanted me, maybe my dad would too. One night, I get an alert on my computer. Director Fury had activated the Avengers, and I knew I had my chance. I snuck out, climbed into my suit and flew to them. That’s when I met Clint, Tasha and Steve. They were shocked, and maybe a little annoyed when I showed up, but they didn’t fight me on it when I helped them against some crazy lizard group. I didn’t tell them who I was, obviously. I wanted to impress my dad, not Captain America.”

Tony adds the palladium core to the reactor and starts to work on the minute details. He’s still got hours to go on that, but it’s enough to focus him.

“I helped save the day. I was a hero. I was everything Steve Rodgers was genetically engineered to be. The moment the fight ended, I raced home to show my dad. He punched me in the stomach, told me it was reckless to fight alongside Steve without the man being prepared. He was furious that I’d put him at risk. I had to go to the hospital for internal bleeding.”

Loki’s face gets stiffer, and Tony’s movements grow furious.

“So I decided to turn myself over to Fury. Told him I was IronMan, told him I was going to be part of the team whether he wanted to or not. Fury was obviously reluctant but my dad was quick to give his permission. He said, and I quote; ‘it’s about time the kid did something useful’. Well, the next mission came along, I took a hit, my dad broke my leg because I’d made him look bad.”

Tony choked on the words and bowed his head against the work table. He clenches his jaw, trying not to remember how angry his dad was.

“I stopped telling him when I got injured on missions because it would only get worse. Jarvis, even though he hated that I was ‘playing a dangerous game with grown ups’, took me to the doctors whenever he realised I was injured. Maybe figured it out 10% of the time, but the real problem was with my dad. He knew most of the time. So when Jarvis was taking me to the hospital, hardly any of those injuries were from the battles.”

“Your father will die.”

Tony jumps when he remembers Loki is still in the room. The man looks furious, and Tony takes a step backwards.

“What?”

“You have been wronged, child. You have been grievously injured by your own father. Such behaviour is inexcusable.”

“Whatever. It happens.”

“It shouldn’t have.”

Tony shrugs. It hurts to remember. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to talk about it. It’s hurts.

“Why doesn’t my dad love me?”

Tony is crying before he can stop it and Loki is pulling him into an embrace.

Tony falls asleep in his exhaustion, and wakes up the next morning to find Loki waiting for him by the breakfast table.

“Ok. New deal. I bore my heart last night and in return I want you to teach me magic.”

“I believe I’ve already told you that you can’t learn magic. You’re not magic.”

“Try me, nerd.”

 

~

 

Bucky isn’t sure how much he can take. Tony has been missing for over 24 hours and it’s not ok. He said he would protect him and he failed so quickly.

“I’ve found him,” Thor announces. “He is with Anthony is a large house of wares.”

“Let’s go,” Bucky says, storing a gun on the straps across his back. “We’ll take this guy out and be back in time for lunch.”

“Sorry, but we’ve made an agreement not to kill Loki unless necessary.”

“The man kidnapped a child and anything could be happening right now. I think it’s been necessary for a while.”

“I agree,” Clint chimes, folding his bow. “Let’s go.”

Steve, Bucky, Clint, Thor and Bruce climb aboard the Quinjet while Natasha makes her way on her motorcycle, allowing her to take another way in if they jet is shot down. It takes less than ten minutes to get there, and Bucky is prepared for all sorts of scenes. What he’s not prepared for is finding Tony sat at a table with Loki eating breakfast while a glass lightly hovers in front of him.

Tony turns around with wide eyes and a cocky grin, and the glass toppled onto the table.

“Guys! Did you see? Did you see the glass? Loki taught me magic.”

Thor looks confused and he sends an accusatory glare towards Loki.

“In my defence,” the god says with his hands up. “I didn’t expect him to learn it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading 😍😍😍


	13. Loki talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki explains himself and the reactor gets finished

Bucky is at Tony’s side in a second, and he’s aiming a gun at Loki’s chest before anyone can even say anything.

“Did he hurt you?” Bucky demands.

“No,” Tony tells him. “He actually took good care of me. Too good, in my opinion.”

“What does that even mean?” Clint asks, stepping forward.

“He made me eat and sleep when I should have been working.”

Bucky stares at Tony, wondering how he could be so calm.

“Guys, honestly, nothing bad happened. He gave me the time, space and materials I needed to build the arc reactor and that’s pretty much all we did.”

Thor is stood by Loki, and the two of them are arguing quite loudly.

“He doesn’t need to be coddled by you, you insufferable oaf,” Loki scolds. “He needs to be freely offered an outlet. I gave him that. He’s almost finished with the thing that will save his life.”

The Avengers turn to face Tony.

“It’s true! Loki, bring back my workshop.”

Loki doesn’t move, but the breakfast table is replaced with his work table and Bruce is stepping forward to look.

“I may not agree with him being taken away from the hospital bed, but this really is better than the best case scenario we had for this.”

“What was that?” Tony asks as he starts to work again.

“That he killed you painlessly,” Clint says.

“You guys are too much fun,” Tony jokes. “Honestly, Loki is harmless.”

Clint snorts so hard he probably gave himself an aneurism.

“Loki is anything but harmless.”

“Loki didn’t invade earth on a whim,” Tony says condescendingly. “He was forced into it.”

Everyone, including Loki, seems stunned by this proclamation and Tony grins at them all, smugly.

“Not my story to tell. Go on, Loki. Regale them with your story.”

“Is this true, brother?”

Loki looks conflicted for a second, and Tony is sure that he’s wondering whether it’s worth the effort of rejecting the familial term, but he simply sighs and sits down, motioning for Thor to do the same.

Tony lends only half of his attention to the story. He can’t let his work stall for that long. He needs to keep up with the work and tell Bruce about his improvements and slow success. Bruce is suitably impressed with Tony’s genius, and offers his own improvements. Together, their hands work to build the one thing that will keep Tony alive, while also listening in to Loki’s explanation.

“When I fell off the bridge, I had to land somewhere. Unfortunately, that ‘somewhere’ was on a planet with some henchmen. My name was known among them, and I was taken captive. For months, they tortured me, tried to break me, and eventually, they took me to their leader.”

Tony knows it’s not funny, but he can’t help but snort. Everyone turns to stare at him, but he shrugs and ducks his head lower over the reactor.

“Thanos is a formidable man with a desire to destruct. He tore his own planet in half, and works his way across the realms to do the same to others. He forced me to invade earth, but I was able to overcome some of his mind control.”

“Was that before or after you threw me out of the window?” Tony quips as he welds some pieces together.

“I knew you had back-up,” Loki argues.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, old man.”

“Anyway, what little hold I managed to regain over myself gave me the power to foil the plans.”

“Foil the plans? You almost levelled the city. Tony almost died —“

“He almost died under the actions of your people!” Loki shouts. “Their lack of faith in your initiative is what led to a child being close enough to death that he breathed in its stale air.”

“Are we really having this discussion?” Tony snaps. “Cause I was sure Loki was talking about his issues, not mine.”

Bruce’s hand squeezes Tony’s bicep, and he breathes a sigh and tries to relax. He’s naturally pent up about that particular topic, because it still hurts his brain to remember all that stress.

“Sorry,” Tony whispers.

“Anyway, Thanos is still after me for my betrayal, and I’ve been doing my best to evade him, but unfortunately it simply isn’t that easy.”

“What does Thanos wish to achieve exactly?” Thor asks.

“He wishes to wipe existence out by half.”

“Is that even possible?”

“I’m sure he’ll find a way. But how he does it is beyond my own understanding. He spoke little of how, but was very open about his desire to do so.”

Notably subdued, the room is silent except for the clinking from Tony and Bruce.

“Remind me why you took Tony,” Bucky growls.

“He needed to complete this project. It is my belief that the world cannot survive whatever attack Thanos means to bring without Tony being alive.”

Tony stills, his eyes going wide as he turns to Loki.

“Well, buddy, you failed to mention that earlier on. What the hell?”

“I did not wish to worry you.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I believe that it is unavoidable now. You’re telling me that if I die, the earth doesn’t stand a chance?”

Loki nods and Tony snorts.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he spits. “I’m just a speck of insignificance on this earth and even on this team. If they can survive with me, they can survive without me.”

“Well, were not willing to risk that,” Steve says. “Even if you’re not the end-all for earth, you are for us.”

Tony scowls and ignores him. He knows he needs to be a little less annoyed at Steve, since none of this is his fault, but he can’t help it. Maybe he’s bitter, maybe he’s angry, it doesn’t matter. He get help how he feels.

Steve is visibly put-out by this, and Bucky squeezes his shoulder.

“Can I ask for a few hours of silence? We need to finish this, and the morphine has run out.”

Tony wasn’t going to admit to the latter, but it was only a matter of time before they realised just how much pain he was in. It’s getting worse and worse, so eventually he’ll be creased up in pain.

Together, he and Bruce work hard, assembling the finer points of the reactor, and much to his pleasure Loki doesn’t force them to stop, even when the project goes on for longer than he had predicted. The team, plus Natasha who arrived an hour into they intrusion, are sat around the warehouse, talking in hushed tones while Loki and Thor are in a corner having a whispered shouting match. Tony ignores it all, funnelling every ounce of concentration into this work.

Finally, just when the pain is growing unbearable, it’s finished. Tony all but collapses into the stool, and quickly pulls over a large table on legs and helps Tony to lie down on it.

When everyone realises what is happening, they move to stand around Tony. Bucky takes one of his hands and Clint takes the other. Tony wants to wrench his hands out of theirs, but the pain is weakening him, and he knows they’ll hold him down when it comes to Bruce installing the AR for the first time. Tony is sure this pin has nothing on what that is bound to become.

“Tony, you need to stay as still as you can while I work on the installation, ok?”

Tony nods, and just as he predicted, Bucky and Clint both put their other hands on his shoulders to hold him in place. Tony squeezes his eyes closed and prays that he can make it through without screaming.

“Just do it,” he really begs, bracing himself.

Bruce hums in agreement and Tony flinches when he feels cold hands touching the damaged area of his chest. He squeezes his eyes tighter still and then the pain starts. Tony cant help but shout out in pain, and the hands on his shoulders push harder and those holding his hands squeeze tighter. New hands appear on his ankles, and he’s fully restrained. He didn’t think he would need to be, but it’s like his body is completely working on its own accord. It strains against their hands and screams claw their way up his throat.

The pain is unbearable. It’s like fifty white-hot pokers are being stabbed into his chest, while acid is injected into his gains and Thor is smashing Mjolnir against his lungs. He’s incapable of thinking, incapable of anything beyond feeling pain and praying it would stop. Tony’s body writers and bleeds and he cries and screams and wishes he wasn’t so weak but he can’t help it.

It hurts.

 

~

 

Tony passed out a few minutes ago, and Bruce is frantically trying to wake him back up. Bucky argued that it’d save the kid some trauma if they let him remain unconscious, but Bruce had explained that Tony needed to be awake for the final part because he needed to say whether or not it had stopped hurting or not.

Bucky had felt cold the instant Tony started screaming. It was unnatural how loud the boy was able to become, and his face was contorted in pain. No child should be made to suffer through that, and with every nanosecond Bucky has to listen to him suffer, his hatred for Howard grew tenfold.

It’s not right that a father would put a hand on his son with such vicious intent, but shooting him in the chest is such a wild extreme that Bucky has trouble wrapping his head around it, despite having seen it with his own eyes.

“Loki, can you wake him up?” Thor asks, from where he is stood by Tony’s feet.

Loki looks sick from having to experience all that, but he nods and makes his way over to them all. He places his fingers on the side of Tony’s head and the boy wakes up with a gasp and starts screaming again.

Fortunately it lasts for less than a minute because the moment Bruce has twisted the reactor into his chest, his body goes limp and the screaming stops.

“You OK?” Bruce asks, rubbing a cold cloth over Tony’s forehead.

Tony nods, but tears continue to stream down his face and he’s still deathly pale.

When he tries to sit up, his eyes roll into the back of his head and Bucky catches him before his head hits the table.

“Let him rest,” Bruce says. “That was extremely hard on his body and he needs time to recover. Preferably in a hospital bed.”

He sends Loki a meaningful look, and the next thing Bucky sees is the hospital room with Tony in the bed and all the Avengers stood around him.

“Well, that was new,” Bruce says conversationally as he starts checking the monitors around Tony.

Bucky just hopes that they can keep Tony in one place while he recovers. He’s never known anyone to be so difficult to keep track of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading! I know my posting is random but I’m super busy and don’t have the time to write as much as I’d like to. I will keep going though, so no worries!
> 
> Next time on Teen Tony: I’m going extra off script and Tony is going off planet. Stay tuned!!


	14. Space travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic stuff

Tony wakes up in the hospital bed feeling a little achey and sore, but otherwise fine. The team surround his bed, with Bucky and Clint on either side of his head. They’re both fast asleep, and snoring lightly. Clint has his arms crossed on the bed and his head is resting on them, but Bucky is curled up in his chair.

Steve is smiling gently at him from the door, and Tony forces himself to smile back. Bruce is stood at the end of his bed, making notes on the clipboard and he smiles too, when he notes that Tony has woken up. Natasha doesn’t smile though. She looks Tony over critically, before gracefully climbing onto the bed and looking him deep in the eye.

“You need to tell me everything that happened with Loki.”

Tony is taken aback by this. He knows they would never have let it go, that he’d have been interrogated. He was in the presence of a known criminal who’s crimes surpassed anyone else’s alive on earth today. Of course they’d want to know.

The problem is how Natasha asked. It wasn’t asked nicely. There was a force behind it, like she expected resistance. Like she thought he wouldn’t.

“Sure.”

Now it’s her turn to be taken aback.

“You didn’t honestly think I’d clam up, did you? He didn’t do anything wrong, there’s nothing to hide. It’s all free knowledge.”

Natasha raises an eyebrow and looks over to Steve who smiles smugly back. Bruce just shakes his head.

“Toldja he wasn’t about to switch sides. Come on, Tash. You need a little more faith than that.”

“You thought I’d gone to the dark side?” Tony asks, hurt. “What the hell, Natasha?”

“I have to look at the worst case scenarios.”

“And that scenario was me betraying you guys?”

“Tony, you have to understand —“

“I don’t have to do anything, Natasha. Though apparently I have to prove my worth. Again. Like that hasn’t been my entire life so far!”

Tony feels angry. He feels furious. How dare any of them question his loyalty to them! How dare they think so little of him?

“Tony, you need to calm down, your blood pressure is rising and your heart-rate —“

But Tony isn’t listening. He should never have been listening. He doesn’t trust any of these guys if they refuse to trust him. That’s fine.

“Tony, don’t climb out of bed, come on, let’s talk this out,” Bruce urges softly. “You’re just upset about Natasha’s lack of tacked. The rest of us trusted you.”

“Right, sure you did. That’s why you’re all lying around the hospital room making sure I don’t run off to hang out with my new best friend, Loki!” Tony explodes.

But then so does the room.

 

~

 

Tony blinks away the brightness that erupted around him spontaneously. He’s shaking from the shock and his mouth is open in surprise. The room around him starts to take shape, but there’s something wrong. The people that are coming into shape aren’t necessarily people.

“Is that a raccoon?” Tony asks, stupidly, before collapsing to the ground.

 

~

 

“If someone calls me a goddamn raccoon one more time I’m gonna find out what a raccoon is a tear it limb from limb.”

Tony’s senses come back slowly and he’s certain that he didn’t hear that right.

“Rocket, if you keep using that aggressive language around the ship now that we have a kid on board, we’re going to have to talk about your parenting techniques.”

“What ‘parenting techniques’? I ain’t a parent. I didn’t sign up to be a parent. You want to keep this pre-pubescent pirate on board, be my guest, but I ain’t having nothing to do with it.”

“I am groot.”

“Thanks man.”

Tony wishes what he was hearing made any sense, but there was not a word passed between them that he could mould into a logical thought.

“I’m not a pirate,” he argues, lamely.

“Oh yeah, kid? Then what’re you doing here?” asks the small talking raccoon.

“I’m not here on purpose!”

“You trying to fool me into believing you rocked up on a moving ship by accident? Do I look stupid to you?”

“You’d be the first raccoon I met with an IQ over 10!”

“Woah, guys, let’s calm down,” the man with the mask says, as a tree comes to stand at his shoulder. “We can talk about this in a more civilised manner.”

“Is that a tree?”

“That’s it,” the little raccoon shouts as he tries to jump on Tony. “He’s coming here to insult us, and I won’t allow it.”

The tree wraps a hand around the raccoon.

“I am groot.”

A man with red lava veins running across the expanse of his bare skin steps into the room and looks down at Tony.

“You are human?”

Tony nods.

“Just like our fearless leader!” he booms.

Their ‘fearless leader’ puffs out his chest but the Red Veins Man smacks his back, knocking the air out of him.

“Fearless of everything except spiders. You should have heard him scream.”

Tony smiles nervously, but his attention, and everyone else’s, is drawn to the cockpit of the shit.

“Loki!” Tony cries out, jumping from the bed.

He stumbles a bit, and the tree helps him stand straight.

“I never would have taught you magic if I knew you’d be disappearing at a mere temper tantrum.”

“Ok, first of all; Rude. Second; you taught me magic cause you thought I couldn’t learn it. Third; it wasn’t a temper tantrum!”

“Oh, so the kid has been here five minutes and he’s already allowed to bring people over for tea?”

“Rocket, it’s not the same.”

“Like hell it isn’t.”

“I don’t think you can pay this dude for sexy time,” the red veined man says.

Loki and Tony stare at the men I’m confused shock.

“Maybe we should introduce ourselves,” the man says. “I’m Star Lord.”

“I am Groot.”

“My name is Drax.”

“And I am Rocket.”

Tony looks at each of them in a state of shock, and then turns back to Loki.

“How did I get here?”

“That’s what I’d like to know.”

Tony turns to face a new voice, a female one. A tall, green lady comes into the room wearing what he knows is definitely a space cowboy outfit. She’s hot, even if she is an Alien. She’s a hot alien.

“Hi. I’m Tony Stark.”

“Hey, no way!”

Tony turns back to the man with the mask, who has flipped it up now, and Tony can see that he at least looks human.

“Like, Howard Stark?”

Tony nods.

“No way! Kid, your dad is a genius! I heard about his flying car! And all of his inventions and... why do I feel like I shouldn’t be talking about this? Your old man dead?”

Loki steps up to Tony’s side and puts a hand on his shoulder.

“No, but he did try to kill Anthony.”

“Oh shit. Wait, sorry, I shouldn’t swear. My bad. Sorry kid.”

Tony shrugs, but glares at Loki so he knows Tony isn’t happy with the free flowing information.

“Can we get back to the part where he explains how he got onto our moving ship?” green lady asks.

“I don’t know,” Tony admits.

“I do,” Loki announces. “And I dare say it is my fault.”

“Is that why you are on our ship?” Starlord asks.

“Yes. I noticed a spike in energy and followed it.”

“How did it happen?”

“Tony got upset and it sparked a reaction from the magic he apparently has just stored up inside of him.”

“Maybe I’m just a fast learner.”

“That’s not how magic works, Anthony.”

Tony shrugs.

“Agree to disagree.”

“This isn’t... it’s not... you can’t disagree with a fact.”

Tony likes watching how annoyed Loki gets while they’re talking about Magic. He obviously finds the entire conversation frustrating, and that’s really enough to make this whole situation slightly less stressful.

“So, the child had a fit of anger and he found himself here?”

“Yes.”

The woman nods and the steps right into Tony’s space. Tony takes a step back but hits the wall. She presses a finger into his chest and he gulps.

“If you bring us any trouble, I will tear you apart.”

“No need for the threats, Lady. Loki can just take me home.”

“Actually, I cannot.”

“Sorry, what was that?”

Loki frowns at Tony and looks around at the odd assortment of people.

“Tony has recently undergone a severe medical procedure that has had profound effects of his body. He shouldn’t be able to use magic, but the fact that he has is a miracle in its own right. Coming here had negatively affected his body in a way that could take days to heal from. To force his body through that again could kill him.”

“But I don’t need to use my magic,” Tony protests. “You can just use yours!”

“The distance is too great for me to carry you.”

“But I can’t even control my magic! What if I try to get back and I end up on Krypton?”

“I don’t know if such a planet,” Loki assures.

“Me neither. Where is this ‘Krypton’?” Drax asks.

“Isn’t that’s where Superman came from?” Starlord asks.

“Yeah. I don’t want to end up on some random planet!”

“That’s a problem we need to solve when we get there. In the meantime, I need to go smooth some feathers with your team. They might be worried about you.”

Tony doesn’t want Loki to leave him alone in the middle of space with strangers, but he feels that saying so out loud might make him look childish, so he avoids it.


	15. Months? Give me four hours.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is well and truly stuck, but he’s not going to settle for being an annoyance.

Tony awkwardly shifts from foot to foot, looking at each of the people in front of him. Loki left five minutes ago, promising to tell the story to his team. Now Tony is confused. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do, and he’s not sure just how scared he is. He’s trying real hard not to think about how he’s in the middle of space with strangers who look like trees and raccoons. He wants to be home again, even if the team and he aren’t in the best place right now.

“Look, how about we drop the kid on the next planet, and go on our merry way?”

“Rocket, we can’t just leave a human child on a foreign planet!”

“Well, what’re we supposed to do with it.”

“He will stay with us until that black haired dude comes back,” StarLord announces. “He’s a child by human standards.”

“I’m not a child! I’m almost sixteen!”

“It’s that old by earth years?” Rocket asks. “Cause you look to me.”

Tony doesn’t appreciate the word ‘fresh’ and he takes a few steps backwards. He regards them all with heightened suspicion. Rocket is snickering at his discomfort, but the green lady and Starlord at least appear sympathetic.

“Rocket, stop being weird. You’re freaking him out.”

“Oh, I’m freaking him out?” the rocket asked, outraged. “Sincerest apologies, kid. I didn’t mean to freak you out after you randomly magicked yourself onto my ship while we were on a highly secretive mission that no one was supposed to know about.”

Tony’s back hit the wall before he realised that he was even walking backwards.

“Rocket, if you don’t stop traumatising him I’m going to kick you off my ship.”

“Oh its your ship now is it? That’s a real interesting, Starturd, because-“

The man and raccoon dissolved into a long, loud argument and the tree sidled up to Tony’s side and said in an understanding tone; “I am Groot.”

Tony did not know what he was supposed to say to that, but he nodded in understanding.

“You are so small and fragile,” Drax says with his booming voice. “You will be no use here.”

Tony blinks and frowns.

“Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

Drax laughs and Tony really does not know what to do with himself. That’s not normal behaviour.

“Please mind Drax,” the green lady says apologetically. “He has no tact.”

Tony shrugs and tries to slide out of view. He feels kind of trapped. He doesn’t know where he is, or who these people are. He doesn’t even know where he’s supposed to hide if they try anything. He’s suitless, so he’s useless. Just like Drax said.

“We can’t honestly be considering keeping him on board?” Rocket says. “He’s a child. He’ll get hurt. More importantly, he’ll want a cut.”

“Kid won’t want a cut. He’s from a rich family,” Starlord argues.

“Then can we keep him for ransom?” Rocket suggests.

“Rocket, stop talking like that. You’re scaring him.”

“Doesn’t count as kidnapping if he came to us, right?”

“Look, Loki said I got myself here,” Tony says, throwing his hands up. “I can get myself home.”

“No!” Starlord shouts. “That greasy haired pale dude said you could die.”

Tony shrugged. It was better than being kidnapped by aliens. He had a system for when he was kidnapped at home, but it’s a little harder to plan that route when he’s in the middle of space, however many light years from Earth.

Tony shuts his eyes and focuses all of his effort on home. He thinks of the tower, his room, his lab, Jarvis, his team. He then imagines drawing energy into his body and allowing it to gather in his center. He feels it there, but he’s not sure what he’s supposed to do from there. Click his heels together? Twist on the spot? What’s the trick? Tony can’t even remember what he did last time, so he has nothing to go by.

He balls up his fists when the energy coiling in his body gets too much, and then he shouts out when it feels like all the bones in his body are breaking at once. And then there’s just darkness.

 

~~~

 

“I told him he would die if he tried, and he still tried?”

Oh gods. Loki sounds pissed off.

“Exactly what did you do to make him suddenly suicidal?”

“Hey man, lay off. We’re not responsible for him,” Starlord argues. “But we did help him, see? He just collapsed on the floor and we put him in a bed.”

“Do you realise how much further he’s been set back by this idiotic move? It’ll take weeks before his body has the ability to go home. I have just gotten back from telling his team he would be home in a week!”

“Again,” growls Rocket, “not our problem. Capeiche? The kid got himself here, he can get himself outta here. If he’s not alive when that happens, that’s also not our problems.”

There’s some muttered words and they all shout in anger.

“Hey, what the hell was that!” Starlord shouts.

“I just made it your problem. You live as long as he does while he’s on this ship. You let him die then you’re signing your own death certificate.”

There are more shouts of outrage but Loki hushes them.

“That boy is important to the continued existence of the earth.”

“Interesting. Another thing that is not our problem.”

“Hey man, that’s my planet.”

“You couldn’t pay me enough to care,” Rocket snarls. “Take this curse off.”

“No. He needs to stay alive. Seven billion lives depend on it.”

Tony’s body aches, his head pounds and his stomach turns but he forces himself out of bed. Loki is out of order doing that. He respects the god, but it’s too far.

“Loki,” he groans, as he hauls himself into the main deck. “Leave the aliens alone.”

Loki is at his side in a second, lowering him into a chair.

“You should be resting,” Loki says.

“And you shouldn’t be cursing people. What’re you thinking?”

“That you need some incentive to not do stupid things and they need one to stop you from doing stupid things.”

“I was in there way. They have every right to want me off their ship.”

“And dead?”

“Hey, it’d be one way to make my dad proud of me.”

Loki’s hand squeezes his shoulder just shy of too tight. Tony flinches and scowls.

“Your death may appease your scum-of-the-earth father, but the loss it would create is bigger than you could appreciate.”

Tony shrugs him off and turns to the aliens.

“Look, if you guys can take me to earth, I can make it worth your while. I keep out of the way the entire time, I promise.”

“Even if we wanted to, Earth is protected. Getting there would take weeks and at this point I think it would be quicker to wait until your powers are there or wherever,” Starlord says. “Look, we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot. Let us fix that.”

“I heard an ‘us’ that I didn’t agree to,” Rocket complains.

“Quit it, Rocket. You just hate humans, but we obviously aren’t all that bad. I mean, look at me!”

“You’re a terrible example,” Rocket grumbles. “Why would you even act like I liked you?”

Starlord gives Rocket the middle finger and then turns sheepishly to Tony.

“Sorry. No cursing.”

Tony rolls his eyes and then looks pleadingly to Loki.

“Please at least try to take me back? I’m really good at defying expectations. I might be able to survive. We need to at least try, right?”

Loki shakes his head and then just disappears. Tony chokes on his protests and stares at the spot where Loki had been standing a second ago.

“No! What the hell! What am I supposed to do here for weeks? Loki? Loki! Loki, come back right now!”

Tony surges towards the area Loki was at, but the pain in his body tears him down, and he’d have hit the floor if it wasn’t for Gamora.

“We’ll make this work,” she promises.

“Again with the ‘we’. When did we start babysitting? We have a king to rob.”

“Let’s not discuss business in front of the kid,” Starlord warns.

Tony, not feeling up to spending the next two weeks being treated like a useless kid, speaks up in his defence.

“You know I’m a genius right? I’m fifteen and I graduate from MIT next year.”

He gets a blank look from everyone.

“It’s a mechanics and technology university. I built my first computer at four. I think, if you show me around, I can learn enough to be helpful.”

“Kid, we ain’t got months to teach you the complexities of the ship.”

“Months? Give me four hours.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are awesome. I love writing fan fiction when I get the comments you guys are leaving.  
> Sorry I’ve not been replying. It’s christmas time and so my ghostwriting/copy editing job has gone up.  
> (I know it’s ironic that I’m a professional writer/editor when my fan fics aren’t that high quality, but it’s my break from taking it too seriously, you know?)   
> Anyway. Peace out guys. I’ll post the next chapter when i can.


	16. Damn.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is trying to settle in, but things become unsettling.

“Well, I’ll be damned.”

Tony rocks back on his heels, trying not to look too smug with himself. He knew he was brilliant, but he didn’t know he was ‘learn-the-technology-of-an-advanced-spacefcraft-while-in-space’ smart. And in under four hours, no less. Damn, he has not been given enough credit for just how smart he is. He might be able to replicate it for his MIT thesis. His professors are going to be crazy envious.

“So, still think I’ll be useless?” Tony asks, innocently looking at Rocket.

“Look, you may be smart, but you’re still a kid.”

“On my planet, I’m a superhero.”

“The hell is a superhero?” Rocket asks.

“Someone supercool,” Starlord adds in. “I used to read these Captain America comics when I was a kid. He still a big thing on Earth?”

Tony laughs and Starlord looks stunned.

“I work with Steve. He’s an ass.”

“What? What? What?” Starlord is looking around at his team, as though they’re going to share in his shock. “He died. Years ago.”

“Nope,” Tony grins. “He was just frozen.”

“That’s insane.”

“Welcome to my life.”

“Ok, so you’re a superhero. What do you do exactly? What’re your powers?”

“I’m sorry, did you just miss the last three and a half hours? I’m a super genius.”

“Being a huge nerd isn’t cool,” Starlord says, like he’s passing on devastating news.

“I built and operate a suit.”

The aliens all stare at him like he’s just admitted he’d never watched a Starwars movie. He sighs heavily and begins to explain in detail how the suit works and why it was such an important technological marvel to Earth. Only Starlord seems impressed, and even then, only mildly.

“You don’t understand. You’re floating on a pile of crap in the middle of nowhere, trying to make ends meet until your next criminal endeavor.”

“Kid has some bite in him,” Gamora grins, as she turns the captains chair around. “We should keep him. He could be good for our… cause.”

“I’m not a pet. You have a raccoon for that.”

“Oh, he doesn’t like it when you call him a racoon.”

“No?” Tony turns to face the raccoon. “Call me Tony and I’ll call you Rocket, and Rocket alone. Agreed?”

Rocket seems to mull it over, and then extends a paw for Tony to shake.

“Deal.”

Tony feels better about their deal already, especially when Drax cries out that its time to eat. He’s worked up an appetite from all the stress he’s suffered.

However, when he’s served up space candy and some strange french fry shaped some.

“This is what you call a meal?”

Starlord frowns and pushes the fry shaped food in his direction.

“Try it, squirt. You need to build that body of yours, or you’ll look like a sixth grader your entire life”

“Hey, I’m not that small!” Tony argues. “I’m just waiting... to grow.”

Drax laughs with a boom and pounds his fists onto the table.

“You are funny. You are small and want to be big, like me! But you will be small unless you eat like me.”

“What is it?” Tony asks, poking at the food.

“Just try it kid. You won’t know the names.”

Tony takes a deep breath and braves it. He takes one of the fries and slowly puts it in his mouth. He almost chokes as he spits it out on the floor.

“Oh my god I’m do sorry,” he says while coughing, “but that’s foul.”

“It’s an acquired taste,” Starlord admits. “But nothing will beat earth bacon. Man, I miss bacon.”

Tony takes a moment to drink some of the water on the table, only to choke on that too.

“What is that?” he cries out.

“Hey, watch your mouth, kid. That’s the best damn Sichen in this area of the galaxy.”

“Sichen?”

“Oh, yeah. Probably worth mentioning that on earth, Tony isn’t old enough to drink,” Starlord adds belatedly. “My bad.”

“Hey, this isn’t my first drink!” Tony says, defensively. “Do you not have water?”

“With dinner? No.”

Aside from everything that is cool about being in a spaceship, this is not gonna slide. Tony needs some kind of edible food, and he simply can’t cope with space-alcohol and crappy food.

“Do you have other food?”

“Not at the moment. But we’ll be making a stop soon. I’m sure we can pick you up something if you promise to hide.”

Tony waits for an explanation for the random addition, but when he gets none, he asks.

“Ok, I’ll bite. Why do I need to hide?”

“Unexplained minor with no documentation? You know the kind of problems we’re gonna have?”

Tony shrugs but figures it’s hardly worth arguing about. They want him to be hidden, he knows how to do that.

“Cool. Bring me good food and I’ll be willing to hide.”

“Good,” Rocket adds, taking a long drink. “We’re not risking our mission for you.”

The team show Tony where he’ll be sleeping. Drax had sweetly set up a bed on the floor of the main dorm, and Tony tried his best to get comfortable on the hard floor with the thin blanket.

When Tony wakes up, he’s in his fathers office and five years old. His hands reach up to his face in shock, and he stares around the room in childlike awe, despite having seen it a thousand times already.

The dark oak desk that takes up most of the room is the same as always. Tony can’t see over it, but he can see the rim of a tumbler, which means if his dad is in here, he’s drinking. The stench of whiskey hangs in the air like a mist of foreboding. Tony has never, not once, been in this room at the same time as that smell without there being pain to follow.

Knowing he should leave, he takes three steps backwards, moving towards the door without allowing his eyed to stray from the potential danger. If his father is in fact in the room, then Tony is in big trouble. He doesn’t remember if he was called or caught, but either way, nothing good can come of this. He’s prepared for the worse possible scenario.

“Anthony.”

Tony freezes. His back had hit the large, heavy door of his fathers office, and he can finally see over it. His father sits there, his hands steepled in front of his face, and his eyes are completely black. Tony wants to look away, but he can’t. It’s like a cat crash that hasn’t even happened yet. Tony knows what’s coming.

“Here, now.”

His father points to the area by his chair. Tony can’t see it, but he’s done this a dozen times by now. He knows what his father is asking for. He knows that somehow, he’s does something that warrants it.

Tony takes a heaving breath and moves to his fathers side.

“On your knees.”

Tony gulps and does as he’s asked, though his entire body is shaking in anticipation.

“Why do you insist on disappointing me?”

Tony finds himself apologising, despite having no idea what he’s done wrong.

“You’re not sorry,” his father spits acidly. “If you were sorry, this wouldn’t keep happening.”

Tony rubs his mind through a thousand possibilities. Was he found in the workshop again, trying to build something? Had he hurt himself and cried? Had he laughed while he father was close enough to hear?

“Starks don’t cry.”

Ah. Ok then.

“Then suck it up and keep going. When you cry, it looks bad on me, and then people will doubt us. Do you want people to doubt us?”

Tony shakes his head empathetically, but his father just sneers down at him.

“You’ll never bring anything worth while to the Stark name. I should just dump you on the street. You think you’re so smart, but we’ll see how smart you are then!”

Tony doesn’t contest this idea. At this moment in time, being on the streets would be a relief. Especially in comparison to what is to come.

The pain doesn’t register instantly, but Tony knows to expect it when he sees a flash of light across his eyes. He falls backwards and he can’t gather his senses in time to try and break his fall, meaning his head has hit the floor too.

His bottom lip starts to quiver, but he bites it. His head is a menagerie of pain, but he’s still able to see his father in the centre of the encroaching darkness.

“If you cry now,” his father screams hysterically, “then you’ll only be making this worse.”

“S...sorry Howard,” he whispers. “I didn’t mean to.”

A traitorous tear breaks ranks and tries to escape down his cheek. Tony tries to wipe it away before his father sees, but it’s not good. Howard stands up from his chair, his size towering over Tony like a sky scraper to a flower. Tony cowers, and whimpers. He watches as his father pulls out a gun and points it at Tony’s chest.

“No!” Tony screams, finally finding his voice. “No, dad don’t! Don’t shoot! Please, I’ll be better! Please don’t shoot me!”

Tony’s pleas only broaden the smile stretching out on Howards lips. He bares his teeth, and his heavy breathing sends spit into the air. It’s a truly terrifying sight, and Tony starts screaming, the noise ripping through his throat until it’s raw and scratching.

“Tony!”

“Dad, please!”

Tony knows he shouldn’t, knows it would not help his case, but he tries to run. Jarvis would help hide him. He knows that. But the moment his feet move, his father has both of his hands on Tony’s shoulders.

“Tony!”

Tony screams again and tries to fight his way out of his hands hands. Howard slaps his across the cheek.

“Tony! Wake up!”

The hands keep shaking Tony and he keeps screaming until suddenly, ice water hits his face and he’s awake.

Drax had his hands engulfing Tony’s biceps, and Rocket was by his head with an empty bucket in one hand and a towel in the other.

Gamora and Starlord are stood in the doorway, looking petrified. Tony doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. He’s never had a nightmare so vivid before.

“Maybe don’t sleep while you’re hiding. They’ll know where to find you straight away.”

Tony tries to laugh, but he huffs out a breath of surprise when Drax lifts him from the floor and puts his feet on the floor and steps back, letting go.

“You were crying,” Drax days

Tony rubs his arm across his face and hangs his head.

He knows that what he dreamed about had never actually happened. His dad didn’t get violent for years. And why now?

Why wait until he’s surrounded by super cool space pirates?

He guesses it might have something to do with the fact that every time he’s fallen asleep since his dad maybe, allegedly shot him, he’s been drugged into sleep or magicked into it by an Asgardian step-God.

Damn. This might be the start of a long series of problems.

The next few weeks do not look good for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s Christmas Eve in South Korea right now (which is relevant cause I live there) and my gift to you is knowledge about a book.
> 
> If you like Superheroes, some angst and maybe even a hint of de-aging, this book is right up your alley. 
> 
> It’s called A Daily Convenience: The Third of the Three and it’s available on Amazon as an Ebook or a Paperback.
> 
> Otherwise, MERRY CHRISTMAS! And I’ll try to update Christmas Morning just because I’m working Christmas Eve and it sucks.


	17. Inspection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays guys!  
> Hope you’ve had a lovely day.

“Do we talked to him about it?” Tony heats Starlord ask. “I mean, that was a little more than just a nightmare. He was screaming.”  
“So what?” Rocket counters. “Kids have nightmares. Monsters under the bed and all that crap.”  
“He’s fifteen and just had a near debilitating nightmare about his father.”  
“Kids, man. What can I say?”  
“Nothing. You’re not human. You don’t understand.”  
“Peter!” Gamora’s voice rings out. “Come on. You should speak to him.”  
“Gamora, we don’t talk about our problems. We bottle them up until they come out in some other way. It’s part of our charm.”  
“You have about as much charm as a dead dog.”  
“Now, I could tell you how much that hurts, but I’m actually going to hold it down until I burst.”  
Tony debates going to tell them he’s fine, but he’s not sure if he believes that himself. He feels like he’s on the edge of something, and his father has pushed him there.   
He figures maybe just ‘sleeping’ for a few more hours until everyone has forgotten about this little snafoo.  
“You are awake.”  
Tony startles and his eyes fly open.  
“Drax?”  
Drax is sat on a chair looking down at Tony. Tony pushes himself up onto his elbows.  
“How long have you been watching me sleep?”  
“A while. But you could not see me because if I stay still enough, I can become invisible.”  
“Yeah. Or my eyes were closed.”  
Drax seems unperturbed by this logic, and continues to pin Tony with an analytic stare.  
“You are troubled.”  
Tony waits for him to say something else, because making a statement like that seems redundant.  
“I am not unfamiliar with such things.”  
Tony moves to sit on the bed by Drax and his pulls his knees into his chest.  
“A man called Thanos killed my wife and daughter.”  
Tony’s shoulders slump and he can’t think of what to say.  
“I have managed to keep myself going despite this.”  
Tony lowers his head.  
“Revenge.”  
Tony’s head snaps back up and he gapes at Drax.  
“What?”  
“Revenge. My whole life was taken in a second and under the guise of an act of ‘God’ and now I dedicate my life to searching and ultimately destroying Thanos.”  
Tony can’t help but feel an odd flicker of recognition at the name, but in that moment he can’t place where he’s heard it. It’s odd, because normally he’s good with things like that, but not today.  
“You think I need to focus on getting revenge?”  
“I think it can help.”  
Tony hasn’t had a lot of motivational speeches in the past, but he’s certain that this one is going in the wrong direction. Surely people should be urging him away from those kinds of behaviours, and not towards them?  
“Thanks, Drax. I appreciate the pep talk. That was good advice.”  
“Of course it was. It was from me.”  
Tony doesn’t know what to do with that comment, so he just smiles and stands up, ready to leave the room. When he enters the main part of the ship, he finds Gamora, Rocket and Peter sat around the control deck. They all sit a little straighter when they see him, and Tony grins sheepishly.  
“Sorry, guys. I was just looking for… uh, something to do.”  
Rocket jumps out of the chair and lands with a light patter of paws.  
“Come on kid. I have some chores to make you useful.”  
Tony can do chores. They’re right up his alley.

~

“What do you mean, weeks?” Bucky shouts. “You just told us he would be back with us in a matter of days.”  
Loki runs a hand down his face, and sighs with heavy exasperation.  
“Yes, but despite my explicit instructions not to, he tried to come back.”  
“Why the hell would he do that?” Clint asks.  
“He was under the impression that he was burdening them with his existence.”  
Clients anger deflates.  
“For all his cocky brovado, we really need to knock some sense of self-worth into that kid. First item on the itinerary for when he gets backs.”  
“These people, these aliens, they have promised not to hurt him?” Steve asks, nervously.  
“I have it on threat of their lives that Tony is to come to no harm. I do not believe them to be violent, but they certainly have their own agenda.”  
“Threat on their lives?”  
Loki grins manically and unapologetically.  
“I told them that any harm that comes to Tony will be inflicted upon themselves in turn.” Loki looks to Thor. “Pain is a wonderful motivator.”  
“Why are you doing this?” Clint asks, stepping forward and clenching his fists menacingly. “What do you want from Tony?”  
Loki doesn’t flinch, despite the threatening tone to Clints voice. In fact, he simply squares his shoulders and looks the man dead in his eyes.  
“Because I care about him, and he has suffered too much for it to end this way.”  
Loki doesn’t wait to hear any more questions. He simply disappears in a plume of green smoke.  
“The smoke is all for show,” Thor tells them, amused. “He always was the more dramatic of us.”

~

Tony is sweating but he’s smiling too. With every new inane task that Rocket has him doing, he’s learning more about how the space tech operates. He knows they’re doing it to keep him from getting under their feet, but he’s grateful for the distraction, and he knows that Rocket enjoys explaining things to him. Tony secretly thinks it’s cause Rocket wants the rest of the team to respect him more. From the way they treat each other though, Tony knows they respect each other immensely, they just don’t care to show it. Ever.  
It’s been over a day since he appeared on the ship, if Tony’s internal clock is anything to go by. He’s not seen a clock since he arrived on the ship, and without the sun to offer an estimate, his just guessing. He wonders what time system they operate on. Without the sun and moon to base time on, there must be something else.   
Maybe he can ask about that later.  
“Tony, go hide under the bed.”  
Tony sighs. He’d known they wanted him to hide away from a passenger inspection, but he’d expected a better option than ‘under the bed’.  
“Remind me what you’re doing,” he grumbles.  
Peter grins brightly.  
“We’re going to steak ourselves a shiny red stone.”

~

Tony is so tired from his chores that he falls asleep where he’s hiding under the bed. Fortunately it’s just as the inspection is ending, but unfortunately, Tony learns he definitely has a problem. He falls straight into another nightmare, one that grips him so tightly it hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can probably get where this story is going now.


	18. Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians are trying to get the reality stone, and Tony is having a hard time staying out of reach of the nightmares.

“I’m disappointed in you, son,” Steve says, as Tony steps into the lounge.

  
“What?”

  
“You heard me. I expected better from the son of the Great Howard Stark, but you turned out to be just a fuck-up.”

  
“I didn’t mean to!” Tony pleads. “I promise I tried to be better!”

  
“Tried? Tried? What good is trying? I expect results, not attempts.”

  
Tony doesn’t know what to say. He’s always known deep down that Steve would want Tony to be more like Howard, but he’d hoped that in light of recent events, his dad would have lost of appeal. It hurts that despite all that, his hero still prefers his abuser.

  
“Tony,” Clint calls from across the room, “no hard feelings man, but we only let you on the team cause your dad asked us to. Now that he’s in prison, we don’t need to. You understand right?”

  
“And we’re going to need your room for an extra training room,” Natasha pipes in. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  
“Oh, Tony, I’m sorry but I can’t let you in my lab any more. You messed up some of my experiments and they were pretty simple,” Bruce says calmly. “I don’t know how you managed to get through MIT. Maybe it was a fluke? I should call them and tell them you cheated.”

  
A second later Tony’s phone rings and he picks it up.

  
“Mr Stark, this is the dean on MIT. I’m afraid we reviewed your work, and found that there was a massive oversight. You didn’t pass. You actually failed with extraordinary mess-ups. I’m afraid you’ll have to go back to elementary school to make up for these mistakes.”

  
“Anthony, boy, Asgard has found you guilty for treason for fraternising with Loki. You are to stand trial in Asgard today. You will likely be put to death.”

  
“No! It wasn’t fraternising! He kidnapped me! You know that!”

  
“The rules of Agard cannot be altered, Stark-son. I will ask them to make your death quick.”

  
Thor grabs Tony’s wrist when he tries to flee, and he throws Mjolnir above his head, and at the exact same time a beam of multi-coloured lights envelops them and a strange pull comes over Tony, and he’s dragged up through the beam, his stomach dropping and his head spinning. He wants it to stop, it’s all too much at once, but he can’t scream, can’t hear his own voice over the deafening wind.

~

While Tony is in the throes of a nightmare that has barely begun, the Guardians of the Galaxy are coming to a smooth landing on a planet they rarely visit.

  
“Does everyone remember the plan?” Starlord whispers conspiratorially.

  
“What plan?” Rocket asks, in his normal voice. “We’re going in, grabbing the stone, and leaving. That was all you said. You usually wait until we’re on the cusp on death before sharing your ‘genius’ plans with us, and they’re always on the wrong side of stupid.”

  
“I don’t see you offering anything!” Starlord cries out.

  
“You always shut them down and then preach that you’re the captain of the ship!”

  
“I do not!”

  
“Uh, sorry, Peter, but that’s exactly what you do,” Gamora says.

  
“It’s true. You’re a bad captain.”

  
“My quality of captaincy was never in question, Drax,” Peter hisses.

  
“Maybe it should be!” Rocket says. “All in favour of me being captain say I!”

  
Groot and Rocket both raise their arms, while Gamora, Peter And Drax stay still.

  
“Fine. I don’t even care. Whatever,” Rocket says, angrily.

  
“Clearly he does care,” Peter mutters with a smug smile.

  
“Shut up, Peter. Let’s just go in and get what we need. Did anyone decide where we were going to do with it once we’ve got it?” Gamora asks.

  
“Give it to Tony.”

  
Drax, Peter and Rocket all reply at once.

  
“I am groot.”

  
“So it’s agreed,” Rocket says begrudgingly. “We given Tony the stone and Peter is still Captain, even if he’s bad at it.”

  
“Hey!”

  
“Knock it off, guys. You’re both bad captains, OK!”

  
Neither Peter nor Rocket seem settled by this, but they don’t seem motivated to argue it either, so they allow silence to descend over them as they reach the zero hour. This is far from the most deathly mission they’ve embarked upon, but the consequences of their failure would be monumental, and who’s to say who would survive should their failure result in Thanos gaining the power they so desperately wish to keep from him.

  
“We’re here.”

  
Together, they disembark the ship, under the cover of darkness, and slip into a large cave entrance. After so many hours spend researching this place, they know exactly where to go. Sure enough, after five minutes of silently sneaking through, they come into an opening, where dozens of storage boxes are stacked up, giving them a place to hide.

  
Peter looked between Drax, Groot, Rocket and Gamora. They all looked as apprehensive as he did. While Thanos may not be there, they understand that he is taking the same route as they are. Eventually he’ll find out that they know what he’s trying to do and work towards getting ahead of them.

  
They’re not cocky enough to assume that they could beat him, even if they did give it everything they had. The man has thousands of years on them, and with those years comes a formidable force that is laughably deadly. They have no chance. But they now have something else to motivate them to keeping themselves alive.

  
The kid.

  
At first, it was a massive inconvenience to have some child onboard, especially once the greasy haired dude doomed them all to feel any pain the child came into. But it moved from that pretty quickly. Rocket fell head over heels for the small genius, because nothing makes him like someone more than when they rival his intellect. Gamora has a soft spot a mile wide for him, because she can relate to his troubled past and his determination to do better. Groot just likes new people, and Drax has never been the best in social interactions, so it’s hard to tell what he thinks.

  
Peter, though. Peter sees himself in the kid. Maybe not so much the genius part, but the boy is lost. He doesn’t know where he’s going with his life, he’s overcoming some frankly terrifying circumstances, and he has issues with his parents.

  
Maybe Peter is grasping here, but he will not be the only one on board the ship without some connection to the kid. He’s not sure if just being human is enough to get by.

  
“I see it,” Rocket whispers, pointing towards a glass case on the other side of the room. “Groot, shoot some splinters across the room, create a distraction. Peter and Gamora, if he shows any signs of turning around, act like you want to buy something. Drax, if that doesn’t work, smash his face into a wall.”

*****

“You stand before Odin today on one count of treason. What do you plead?”

  
“I’m innocent!” Tony screams, but suddenly Odin is so big that there’s no way he’d be able to hear Tony. “I’M INNOCENT!”

  
“Innocence is subjective, child,” Odin sneers. “You worked alongside the traitor Loki, and you made no attempt to prevent him from using you. One could almost infer that you worked with him willingly.”

  
“I couldn’t fight back!” Tony argues, breath coming out in short huffs. “Please. I couldn’t fight back. I was sick, and weak, and I didn’t have my armour!”

  
“And without your armour, you were incapable of saying ‘no’?”

  
“It’s not that easy,” Tony tries. “Loki wasn’t in his right mind when he attacked earth. I knew he wasn’t trying to hurt me. I just needed to figure out what he needed. He saved my life. Twice now!”

  
“You defend him!” Odin booms. “You are guilty of high-treason against the courts of Asgard. You will be sentenced to death. Take him away!”

  
Thor grabs Tony by his upper arms and starts to drag him away, but Tony resists as much as he can.

  
“Please, Thor. You know I wouldn’t! You know you can trust me!”

  
Thor shakes his head sadly.

  
“We’re so disappointed in you.”

  
And then Tony notices that in the stands, he can see the entire team, plus Aunt Peggy, his father, his mother, Jarvis, Ana, everyone he’s ever loved. Everyone who was supposed to love him. And they all look disappointed in him.

  
Tony goes limp in Thor’s arms.

  
Maybe be does deserve this after-all?

 

~~~

  
Rocket waits for the sound of Groot shooting splinters across the room and then scampers towards the podium that is securely holding the reality stone.

  
The Collector is searching the other side of the large cavernous room for the source of the noise, and his distraction gives Rocket the chance to leap over a table filled with shiny trinkets that he intends to steal later. He foot catches on one of the necklaces, and it goes clattering to the floor.

  
Rocket ducks behind a table, and Gamora and Peter move into the room. Gamora puts a shocked hand over her mouth.

  
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to knock it over.”

  
The collector looks between her and the fallen necklace, before adopting a smarmy grin.

  
“It’s fine girl. No harm done. It’s just a relic.”

  
Gamora and Peter share a look before directing The Collector towards a showcase of diamond encrusted armour and golden armour.

  
“Ah, you have a fine eye,” he compliments, trying to face the glass casing.

  
With his back turned, Rocket is able to dart across the room and he catches his breath with his back pressed up against the podiums cold hard stand.

  
“And what’s this?” he hears Gamora exclaim.

  
“That, my dear, is an Asgardian Goblet,” The Collector tells them. “It’s been used by gods for almost three generations.”

  
Rocket peeks around the side of the podium and sees that they’re leading him further and further away from where he is hiding.

  
Pulling a screw driver from his utility jacket, Rocket scarpers up and wedges it under the heavy metal seal that is protecting the stone. He mutters under his breath about having something so dangerous on show in the first place, and leans back, using the full force of his weight to dislodge it.

  
The cap flies off, and Rocket is thrown backwards from the force. The room darkens and a red light flashes throughout.

  
“No point in hiding now,” Rocket shouts out. “Drax! Head, wall, go!”

  
Drax surged from the closed off hallway, and runs towards The Collector with a grin. Rocket rolls his eyes and quickly pockets the Reality Stone, trying valiantly to ignore the surge of power that snakes up his arm and settles over his heart.

  
“Rocket, you got it?” Quill shouts, stepping over The Collectors crumpled form on the floor.

  
“Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?” Rocket shouts back. “You gave me one job. You thought I’d mess it up?”

  
“Wouldn’t be the first time you messed something up,” Quill shouts back.  
They’re all running towards the hallways, and they converge in the mouth and Groot joins them from there. Together, as one unit, they head back onto the ship.

  
“You’re always accusing me of making a mess of things, as if you’ve never fucked up a mission?” Rocket shoots back. “You’re way worse than I am.”

  
Quill is about to retort when they hear a gut wrenching sound from where they had Tony hide out.

  
“Someone shut the kid up. We’ve got to get past security again,” Rocket complains.

  
Quill frowns at Rockets complete lack of compassion and goes in search of the boy.

  
He finds Tony under the bed, curled in the feral position, his face streaked with tears and screwed up in pain.

  
“Tony?”

 

  
Tony struggles against the arms of the others in his cell, and one of them looks remarkably like his father.  
“You’re going to have a lovely time with us, kid,” the monster sneers.  
Tony trembles.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I’m trying to be more frequent but I’m a busy bee and all that jazz.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> \- Steffie200


	19. Thanos

“Tony, kid, you need to wake up,” Peter urges, shaking his shoulders. “Come on.”  
“I said to shut him up!” Rocket calls from the control room. “We’ve got incoming.”  
“Fuck,” Peter mutters. “Tony, wakey wakey. Up and at ‘em.”  
Tony’s eyes don’t even flutter. How is someone this deeply asleep? Is he in a coma? Is this how comas happen? Do they just have one long, vocal nightmare?   
“They’re coming at us!” Rocket shouts. “Bogies on our six. Drax, get on the blasters! Keep them away so we can jump!”  
Peter hears his team rushing about the main deck, trying to fend off the attacks, but he can’t just leave. The kid is pale, sweating, shaking and whimpering. Every now and then he thrashes and cries out that he’s sorry. Peter can’t let him go through this on his own, whatever it is.  
“Wake up!” he shouts, right in Tony’s ear.   
Nothing. Not even a flinch. What is up with that?   
Peter closes his eyes and then slaps Tony’s face, wincing as he does so. He doesn’t want to hurt him, but he’s not being given an option. He needs to wake him up. But still, the boy doesn’t move.   
~~~

“Your mother and I never loved you,” Howard hisses in Tony’s ear as he holds him up by the collar of his t-shirt. “You were always a mistake.”  
Tony closes his eyes, begging silently for his father to just stop talking please but Howard shakes him so hard his brain rattles in his head.  
“The best days of my life were while you were stuck in Afghanistan,” Howard laughs harshly. “When you came back with that abomination of a suit, I thought finally, my son can be useful. And Steve, my greatest creation, the height of my achievements, was alive and well, so even if useful was beyond your capabilities, I’d still have him. You when you failed, you just had to do it in front of him, didn’t you? You just had to embarrass me in front of Captain America. I’ve never wanted you alive less.”  
Tony gasps for air as hands tighten at his throat. His eyes fill with desperation and tears. He wants to beg his father for death. To end everything right now. To relieve everyone and put them out of their collective misery. Tony doesn’t want to be a cause of anguish and pain.  
Howard growls and throws Tony against the large glass wall. Tony’s head snaps, and his skull cracks. It hurts, and his vision swims, but he’s able to loosen his hold on consciousness and fall beneath the surface.  
~  
“I know what you are doing, Pete Quill.”  
Peter freezes, his breath catching in his throat and ice spreading through his body. A terrifyingly family voice comes out of Tony’s mouth. The boy's eyes are open but only the whites of his eyes are visible.  
Peter knows that voice. He knows that it belongs to Thanos. Knows it means they’re not safe. No matter where they run. No matter how far they go.  
“What’re you doubt?” Peter demands from Tony’s limp body. “What are you doing to the kid?”  
Tony’s face twists in derision.  
“I hear this child is the key to my destruction,” Thanos says. “Since I cannot kill him, I will simple ruin him. Destroy his mind. Break his spirit. By the time he faces me, he will be broken. I will have seen his failures, his fears, his desires. I know him better than anyone else in the world. I will be his undoing.”  
Peters heart clenches and his blood runs cold. Tony blinks, and his body lurches forward, a panicked gasp escaping him. Peter grabs him before he can hurt himself.  
“He never loved me,” Tony whispers, apropos of nothing.  
Peter can’t reply to that. For a start, it’s complete nonsense. Second, Tony is shaking so hard that Peter is worried he’ll mess with his brain.   
“Tony, snap out of it,” he pleads. “Come on. Come back to life.”  
Tony’s eyes flit to Peters and then scan the room. His breaths lighten, his trembling calms, colour returns to his face, and while Peter can see his pupils, his eyes are wide and frantic.  
“You OK kid?”  
Tony’s breath is coming in short, shaky huffs and Peter helps him to his feet but ends up supporting most of his weight.  
“We need to check in with the team, kid,” Peter says apologetically. “Come on.”  
He half drags, half carries Tony into the control room where Rocket is furiously shouting orders to the team. Peter quickly deposits Tony in a chair and straps the seemingly absent boy in tightly before turning his attention to Rocket.  
“What’s going on?”  
“What’s going on?” Rocket hisses, distractedly. “What’s going on is that while we were trying to subtly move through security, the kid was screaming up a storm and alerted everyone that was on board. Plus, they obviously know that the stone has been stolen.”  
“Reckon they guessed it was us?”  
Rocket gives Peter a death glare, and Peter simply grins in response and rushes to the left automatic laser shooter, lines up the aim with the attacking ships and begins shooting. Every few minutes, he turns to check on Tony, but the boy hasn’t moved an inch. Even from several feet away, Peter can see the emptiness of his eyes.  
Could really use that greasy haired weirdo, Peter thinks.  
“We’ve got the power to make a jump!” Rocket calls. “Should I go for it?”  
“Yeah. Get us out of here.”  
“Gotcha. Jumping in five, four, three, two –”

~

In the communal area of the Avengers tower, Bucky is staring out of the window at the New York timeline. It looks so different from how he remembers it, and yet he knows that it’s still the same city he knows and loves. He’s glad to be back, even if the circumstances are less than stellar.  
“Buck?”  
Bucky cringes slightly, and turns to face Steve. The man has spent almost every moment trying to draw Bucky out, without realising that he doesn’t have any intentions of being drawn-out. Not yet. He’s still working on figuring himself out. He barely knows who he is, or where he’s spent the last eighty years. He’s still on a mission, even if the mission parameters are skewed to hell. He’s quite certain that his original mission wasn’t to protect Anthony Stark, but every time his mind tries to dig up what it actually was, he finds himself being drawn back desperately.  
Can’t go there, Asset.   
Remembering would bring back more of the soldier and made him powerless to the commands. The tenuous hold he has over himself will be shattered instantly and progress will be futile. No. it’s best he doesn’t bother trying to remember. And for now, it’s best that he doesn’t try to go diving into his memories at all.  
I’ll wait until Tony is back. Maybe he can help get rid of the memories I don’t want so I can work on finding the memories I do want.  
It’s a sound plan, all but for one problem.  
“Bucky?”  
“Steve,” Bucky finally relents. “It’s four in the morning. How can I help you?”  
“There’s been some news,” Steve says.  
His voice is grave and suddenly Bucky’s heart is beating at a hundred beats per minute. News of what? Or of who.  
“There’s been an accident.”  
“Is it Tony?”  
Steve shakes his head, but the look in his eye suggests it’s somehow just as bad.  
“Tell me.”  
~  
Once they’ve successfully evaded being murder and arrested in that order, Peter goes to check on Tony, who’s still barely aware of his surroundings.  
“What happened?” Drax asks. “Why was the small human screaming?”  
“Can’t you just call him Tony?” Peter grumbles. “Small human sounds offensive.”  
“Oh, and trash panda is completely appropriate?” Rocket asks.  
“That’s different. You’re not worth not offended.”  
“You’re such an ass,” Rocket complains. “Next time we’re fending off space invaders, I’m throwing you out the ship to buy us some time.”  
“I’d like to see you try, you little –”  
“Are you two arguing?” Gamora asks. “Again?”  
Gamora looks at each of them, and her expression softens into worry. She moves to his side and kneels, one hand resting on top of his and the other cupping his cheek.  
“Tony?”  
He doesn’t respond, and her gaze turns to Peter, inquisitive.  
“He was possessed by Thanos,” Peter shrugs. “I think he gave him some pretty wicked nightmares.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki comes to visit.

Bucky is sat at the table with his face in trembling hands. Clint is sat opposite him, pale-faced and wide-eyed. Natasha is at Clint’s shoulder, betraying no emotions of any kind.

“How do we tell Tony?” Bucky asks.

“Together,” is Steve’s only reply.

“It’ll break him,” Clint says. “He won’t come out of this the same person.”

“As long as we can help him come out, that’s all we can hope for,” Natasha says solemnly. “And we will.”

 

~

 

“I was _possessed?_ ” Tony asks horrified.

It took a while for life to return to his eyes, almost _hours_ later, and when it did, he practically slumped in the chair exhausted and looked horribly confused. Rocket had calmed down by this point, and while Rocket explained the attack, Peter had filled Tony in on what had gone down while he was ‘sleeping’.

“Don’t you remember?” Gamora has asked. “You were having a really bad nightmare.”

Tony noticeably shivers and turns to face away from all of them. He doesn’t need to say anything from them all to know that he remembers that part.

“Why?” Tony asks. “Why possess me?”

“Ah, well, that’s complicated,” Peter says. “Thanos said you were the key to his demise.”

“Loki said something similar,” Tony nods and then he taps his chest. “That’s why he kidnapped me. He needed me to build this.”

The five of them tilt their heads, eyes flitting to the blue glow in his chest.

“What exactly is it?” Rocket asks, leaning in uncomfortably close.

“It’s a miniaturized arc reactor,” Tony says.

“What’s it for?”

“I have some pieces of my suit in my chest. Shrapnel. Slowly, they’re edging towards my heart, but this acts as a magnet. Stops them from progressing.”

Peter keeps staring at the arc reactor, so he doesn’t see how Tony blanches at his next question.

“How’d it happen?”

Tony doesn’t know what to say. How did it happen? He’s still not sure what he believes about that particular story. Surely his dad wouldn’t actually do something like that. His dad was never warm and lovely, but that’s just ridiculous. Right?

“So… why is he possessing me? Can’t he just kill me and take me out of the equation?”

Peter doesn’t complain that Tony didn’t answer his last question.

“Well, this is where it gets even more complicated. Thanos wants to break you.”

“Break me?” Tony asks confused. “How?”

“The nightmares,” Gamora says sympathetically. “And as far as I’m aware, there’s nothing we can do to stop that, short of not letting you fall asleep ever.”

“Reckon I can just pray for Loki to come back?” Tony asks miserably as he slumps in the chair. “I mean, he’s probably the only person other than Thanos himself that knows how to combat this unique nightmare I’m suddenly in.”

“Don’t think it works like that, Kid,” Rocket says. “I think we’re just… _hanging_ around until he decides to grace us with his presence.”

Tony frowns but decides to try anyway. Loki is technically a god, which means this should technically work. So, despite how stupid it makes him feel, he closes his eyes and presses this palms together. He never went to church, but he’s seen people do this on TV before.

‘Please, Loki, if you can hear me, we need your help.’

Tony opens one eye to survey to the results only to find a startling lack of. Rocket looks like he wants to laugh, but both Gamora and Peter look sympathetic.

“The child tries despite being told he would fail. He is a fool.” Drax really doesn’t cut any corners when knocking people down.

“I am Groot.”

“Thanks,” Tony mutters, shrinking further in his chair. “I don’t see you giving me better options.”

“We’ll figure it out, Tony, we promise,” Gamora puts a hand on his shoulder and squeezes. “Do you want food?”

‘Please bring food,’ Tony adds quickly.

 

~

 

Hours later, or so Tony assumed, he was put to bed on the bundle on the floor. Drax was snoring loudly on one bed with a large arm hanging over the edge. Rocket was muttering angrily in his sleep in another. Groot seems to have planted himself upright in the corner, but he is soundless, so Tony can’t complain. Peter and Gamora are in the other room having a muttered conversation that Tony can’t hear, despite his best efforts.

He was supposed to be asleep. After another unsuccessful attempt at eating some of their ghastly space food, it has been noted that Tony looked exhausted. His protests fell on deaf ears, and he found himself being ushered into the bedroom where he was followed a little while later by the three guardians.

Tony refused to go to sleep. He was tired, this was technically true, but he’s fought exhaustion before, he can do it again. Sleep has not been yielding positing results lately, so it seems pointless to engage. Especially if he’s just going to be making it hard for everyone else to sleep when he’s thrust into nightmares again.

All-in-all, sleep is not his friend anymore.

So, he’s awake when Gamora climbs into bed and he’s aware when a bright flash and a sharp snap expand across the room. Everyone else startles into wakefulness with loud shouts and Peter comes running in seconds later.

“What’s going on?” he yells into their panic.

Tony, for his part, is calm. Maybe Thanos has finally come to take him? It would be easier for everyone if they could just end it now. It would probably be a mercy to them all.

“Anthony.”

Tony bolts upright at the familiar voice and a genuine smile breaks across his face.

“ _Loki_.”

Tony rushes to him but then stops short of being close enough to embrace. Loki puts one of his cold hands on Tony’s shoulder and squeezes. Tony is ready to about a million questions, starting with ‘did you bring pizza?’ when a memory of the dream hits him, and his body stiffens and he leans away from Loki.

“Anthony?”

Loki’s voice is soft and he bends slightly to better look Tony in the eye. Tony wants to squirm out of his hand and hide, but that would be letting Thanos win.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Tony pulls a face and then amends. “No. It’s a long story, but I’m hungry. Did you… did you get my prayers?”

Loki grins at the blush that colours Tony’s cheeks, but he offers him a quick reprieve, but holding his hand out and a large pizza box magically manifests in it.

Both Peter and Tony gape in appreciation, neither bothered by the smug look on Loki’s face.

“What? So he comes in here all flashing lights and loud bangs and we’re just letting it slide cause he brought a box?”

Rocket comes storming out of the room and glares up at Loki.

“What do you want?” he demands.

Loki’s lip curls at Rocket, but he doesn’t take the bait.

“I’ve come because Anthony called,” is his reply.

“Right, and I’m supposed to just _believe_ that?”

“What is drawing your suspicions?”

“Oh, I dunno,” Rocket drawls. “Maybe cause you’re saying you’re this god, but you can’t even take the kid home? Maybe cause you threatened us, and generally look like a smarmy—“

“Wait, what?”

Tony’s attention is no longer on the pizza, but rather it’s focused on Loki’s face, his expression confused but suspicious.

“Threatening them? What does he mean?”

Loki lifts his head high.

“I have done what was needed to ensure you continued living.”

“Threatened how?”

Loki’s eyes bore into Tony’s own.

“Everything you feel, so will they.”

“Loki, that’s…” Tony’s arms flail as he tries to find the best words to describe his horror, “that’s barbaric!”

“I did what I must.”

Rocket is looking between the two of them with growing frustration and eventually, he sighs and just grabs the pizza box.

“Might as well see if you’re worth something.”

Rocket scampers into the main deck, and Peter chases after him, shouting indignantly. Groot and Drax follow, looking far less interested in the box. Gamora, however, puts her hand on Tony’s elbow.

“Come on Tony,” she says. “While it may not have been the best decision, he did it for the right reasons.”

Tony gapes at her.

“He condemned you to death!” he shouts. “Thanos is going to _kill_ me, and you’re acting like he just gave you the shovel talk!”

“Tony, you need to calm down,” Loki urges. “I need that incentive there. You need to be kept safe-“

“I’m not some _pet_ that you can order people to _sit,”_ Tony shouts.

Tony wants to scream and shouts and make Loki feel bad for inflicting a worst pain on the guardians than just his mere existence. Fortunately, Gamora has a very calming presence and she guides him away and pushes him down at the make-shift table.

Tony no longer feels hungry. Distantly, he can hear Peter doing a terrible job of describing Pizza to the rest of the team, but his mind is entirely focused on the almost soul-destroying disappointment he feels.

Any kindness the guardians had shown him was all done under a threat of their lives. Tony feels betrayed by Loki, but worse, he feels like a massive burden on the team. How is he supposed to stay there, knowing what he does?

“I’m sorry,” he says, standing up suddenly. “You don’t deserve to have to… I’ll leave. If we get to another planet, any planet, you can drop me there. I’ll find my own way home… or something.”

“Yeah right,” Rocket snorts around a mouthful of pizza.

“I’m serious!”

“You’re not getting dropped on a random alien planet to try and find your own way home,” Peter tells him calmly. “Besides, if Thanos continues to be a problem, then you’re going to need all hands on deck. He’ll be going to earth. We should go there too. And if we can’t win without you, you can’t be gallivanting around the universe.”

Tony opens his mouth to argue, but Gamora simply hands him a slice of pizza with a pointed look. He truly tries to eat it (more because of the look Gamora is giving him than because he is genuinely hungry) but the sense of lingering betrayal isn’t doing much for his appetite.

“I sense you are angry,” Loki says calmly as he comes to stand beside Peter. “But it was for the best.”

Tony can’t quite get his mind around that failed logic. How are their lives hanging on his threat ‘for the best’? Who’s best? Who wins here, where there are only possible losers.

“When Thanos kills me, I won’t be the only one to die,” Tony croaks. “You’ve given them all a death sentence.”

“Eh, it’s a good incentive.”

Of all the people Tony thought would speak in favour of Loki, (which in fairness, was no one), Rocket was not even nearly on that list. Not just because he was a pretty angry guy, as far as racoons go, but because he was the one who had been shouting about it just ten minutes beforehand.

“Look, Kid, this could go one of two ways, yeah? Either you die or you don’t. If you die, you can’t stop Thanos anymore and he kills us all, or he takes away any reason we have to live on. If you live, we’ll be by your side to defeat Thanos and gain, if we die, we die. As long as half the living universe isn’t going with us.”

That little speech does little to oppose his anger or gnawing guilt, but he’s not sure what the best way to get them to understand his point is.

“So, your prayer said you had some information pertaining to the threat?”

Between the team, they explain how they obtained one of the infinity stones, how Tony was having a nightmare, and then finally how Thanos was able to use his body to talk. Tony was sparing on the details of the nightmare, but the content was hardly important. What _was_ important was the cause.

Loki seems to contemplate this new reem of information, but it doesn’t evade him notice how the man has suddenly become considerably paler. If it was news enough to upset a near-immortal god, then Tony had no hope.

“We will discuss the implications of this further once you have had some rest,” Loki decides.

“I’m not tired,” Tony lies.

Loki simply smiles and taps Tony’s head, sending him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've upped the chapter count cause I did not plan this story.
> 
>  
> 
> Remember, your kind words and Kudos are the fuel to my writing fire.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is trying to figure out what the stitch is, Loki is trying to get Tony to take care of himself, and the Guardians are just bickering among themselves. Classic.

Tony 21

 

When Tony awakens, he feels rested. Well and truly rested in a way he hasn’t for longer than he can even remember. He lays in his nest of blankets on the floor, blissfully ignorant to everything. Where he is, what he’s up against, even how he fell asleep.

But then he hears muttering outside of the door and the emptiness comes crashing down around him, carrying all the brutal information in with it. Then he lays in his nest of blankets on the floor with the crushing weight of his future hanging over him like an anvil on a weakening rope.

“He is awake,” Loki says loudly.

“’Bout fricken time,” Rocket complains.

Tony climbs from his ‘bed’, barely noticing his change of clothes (a pair of green and gold silk pyjamas) and he leaves the room. The whole team are in the main room, with Loki at the head of the table. There is a large map in the centre and they’re all consulting it, talking in low tones.

Loki notices Tony first, and he smiles and waves the map away. Then the rest of the team look up.

“Morning, sleepy-head,” Peter grins.

Tony looks out of the window and as per usual, it’s just darkness.

“How long?”

“Thirty-six hours,” Loki says.

Tony glares at him.

“You can’t just force people to sleep,” he grumbles.

“Oh? Because I am certain that I did, and that I will do it again.”

Tony and Loki have a staring contest, though really only Tony thinks that. Loki is waiting for the boy to accept that it was necessary. Tony doesn’t relent exactly, but he does grow bored and turn away.

“What have we discovered about Thanos’s plan?” Tony asks, sitting next to Gamora. “I saw a map. Do we know where he is?”

Everyone becomes immediately uncomfortable and Tony leans back in his seat.

“I’m going to die for definite, aren’t I?” Tony nods to himself even without an answer. “Is there a way to still save everyone else?”

Again, no reply and Tony can’t decipher an answer from it.

“I need to know.”

“Tony, all we know is that you have been given the power to stop Thanos. We don’t know _how._ We don’t know if he can be stopped by other means. We don’t know anything else.”

“What makes you so sure it’s me?”

“The fates on Asgard,” Loki says. “They predicted it. I know not how, only that it is.”

Tony stares, a sceptical eyebrow raised. He has had a hard time believing that Asgard existed, but eventually, he has had to come to terms with it. But fates? No. That’s ridiculous.

“I can see that you do not believe me, but I speak only the truth, young Stark. The fates are never wrong, only agonizingly vague.”

“Fine. So… what’s the bad news?”

“The details are lost to us. We know not how Thanos plans to enact on anything, or how using you will aid his agenda. We have no sure way to end his plot.”

Tony isn’t really sure what he’s supposed to say to that.

“Don’t you worry too much about it, child,” Loki says. “We can protect you. We can keep you out of harm’s way.”

Tony pulls a face. He’s not impressed. He doesn’t want to be sheltered like some baby.

“You don’t need to _protect_ me,” he says derisively. “You just need to let fight. I have my suit. I have my brains. I’m useful. Even the Avengers can’t take that away from me.”

Loki purses his lips, clearly uncomfortable with the idea.

“This isn’t up for debate,” Tony says, deciding it before Loki can speak. “I want to fight Thanos, so I will. You’re not my dad. None of you are my parents. I get to decide for myself what I do. I’m going to fight him. And if I have to die to save everyone else, I will. And you can’t stop me from doing that either.”

Tony puffs out his chest and holds his head high, purposefully ignoring the very real possibility that Loki could just make him sleep for however long it takes for them to find Thanos and take him down. He hopes Loki isn’t thinking the same thing, cause that wouldn’t be great.

“Ok,” Loki says defeated, “you’ll fight, but promise me that until then, you’ll look after yourself. That involves eating regularly, sleeping when necessary, being social.”

“The food here _sucks_.”

“Hey!” Peter complains. “I worked hard on that.”

“No, you did not,” Gamora slaps his arm.

“I will provide you with a… cornucopia of food from Earth,” Loki promises. “But only if you promise to sleep.”

Tony considers his options. He knows he’s not famous for sleeping regularly and eating normally, but that’s all part of his charm. Plus, he’s been worse. It wasn’t that long ago that he was being beaten up on a regular occasion by a family member and said nothing about it and did little to defend himself. Evidently, self-care is not at the top of his list. Especially when his projects take a hit just so that he can catch a few hours kip.

“Tony, I’m phrasing it as a request, but make no mistake. I can ensure that you sleep at least eight hours a day by other means.”

“No one sleeps for eight hours,” Tony argues, outraged. “That’s ridiculous. _And_ a massive waste of time.”

“Eight hours or twelve, take it or leave it.”

“I thought the alternative was no food!” Tony shouts.

“It would have been if I wasn’t so sure that you’d accept the prospect of starvation.”

Tony huffs out an annoyed breath but doesn’t bother to contradict him. He’s not wrong, and Tony is sure that everyone on the ship knows this.

“Fine. Eight hours. But you better be putting coffee in there.”

Loki shakes his hand, and something about it feels _magically_ binding. Tony doesn’t say anything about it, simply because doing so would be akin to admitting her never intended to sleep that much. He’s not even sure if he _can_ without Loki’s magical intervention.

“Right then. Tell me the plan.”

“There is no plan,” Rocket complains. “That’s the problem. It’s like, half a plan.”

“Half a plan is selling it a bit short,” Peter contradicts. “It’s like sixty percent of a plan.”

“Are we doing this again?” Gamora asks, eyebrow raised. “It’s barely even a concept.”

“I am Groot.”

“Yeah yeah, it’s better than having no plan at all, but c’mon Groot, you can’t honestly think that’ll be enough?”

“I am _Groot._ ”

“Whatever man. I could come up with a better plan if I wanted to.”

“As fascinating as it is to listen to a one-sided conversation, can we please get onto whatever this ‘plan’ is?” Tony insists.

Peter rolls his eyes, but the map returns and it’s not a map of anywhere Tony recognizes.

“This is a map of the universe,” Loki explains when he notices Tony’s confusion. “This here is Asgard. Over here is Terra, and there we have Xantar.”

Loki goes on to point out planets and solar systems that Tony is definitely not familiar with, and he can feel a headache coming on.

“How are they so close together?” he asks, annoyed. “I’ve never seen or heard of any of these, _except_ Asgard obviously.”

“This map isn’t to scale, exactly,” Peter says. “To do so would require more room than we have in this ship. This is just so we can get some understanding of where Thanos intends to strike next.”

“So, what do we think is happening?”

“Well, the places with the coloured dots are where known infinity stones are.”

“There’s two next to ‘Terra’, which I’m sure is just ‘Earth’.”

“Yes, we believe the time stone is there, as well as the mind stone.”

“Ok. And you have the reality stone?” Tony asks, more to himself than for an actual answer. “And there’s the space stone on Asgard. So, that’s four. What are the others?”

“The soul stone,” Gamora says slowly. “And the power stone.”

Tony looks at them both carefully, before nodding.

“Both of which you know about?”

“We have the location of both,” Peter says. “The Nova Corps has one and the other… well, Gamora knows where that one is, right?”

“Right. And the fewer people that know, the better.”

Tony nods, looks at the map once more, noting that only five of the six are accounted for, meaning that knowledge may be with Gamora alone.

“Remind me again why he wants me, and not Gamora.”

“Hold your horses, kiddo. The mad titan also wants Gamora.”

“I always was his favourite daughter.”

Tony’s headache increases three-fold.

“Right. OK. So, he wants us both. You because you know where the stone is, me because apparently, I can stop him?”

“Exactly, and the only thing standing between him and decimation of the entire universe is us.”

Tony does not feel good about their odds. Not because he doesn’t think Gamora could evade Thanos forever, cause she’s badass, but because Thanos can get to Tony during those stupid eight hours that he’s just agreed to sleep for. He’s vulnerable in sleep, and if Thanos can control his body, there’s no saying what he could do with that.

“Ok. Game plan,” Tony says, trying to take his mind off of that. “We’re leaving the power stone where it is, right? What about the reality stone?”

Groot shifts awkwardly at this and whispers his signature line to Rocket. Tony doesn’t know why he bothers though, because it’s not as if anyone else is able to understand him.

“I still think it’s a good idea,” Rocket replies. “Tony, we think you should take it.”

“And put it where?” Tony cries out. “In my pocket?”

“Honestly? We think that if Thanos is scared of you, it’s for a good reason. Maybe you’re the only one who can wield them? Perhaps you’re the only one who could properly contain them? Who knows? But whatever it is, we trust you.”

Tony doesn’t even trust himself at this point, but there’s too much sincerity in Rocket’s voice to argue against him.

“Right, fine, whatever. So, what’s the plan for those on earth?”

“Well, once we’ve made contact with the Nova Corps, we’re probably gonna make a beeline for Terra,” Peter says. “Get us some more of that pizza, build an army, figure out where to go from there.”

“Warn them?” Tony says, turning to Loki.

“I will.”

And then Loki is gone.

“Off to Nova we go,” Rocket says, jumping in the pilot’s seat. “Strap in, losers.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and Kudos'! You make me feel special and loved.


	22. Space

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony makes a decision and no one is impressed.

Tony is not a fan of jump points. Don’t get him wrong, the physics of it is endlessly fascinating, and Rocket seemed to revel in the questions Tony has been throwing his way since their first one. He even told him about what would happen if one were to travel more than seven in one go. It’s enthralling, but Tony’s body can’t handle it the way other others seem to. He feels nauseous, and despite his desperate attempts to avoid sleeping, his deal with Loki holds steady as he stumbles to bed, exhausted from feeling unwell. He’s sure it’s not that late in the day, but he hasn’t dedicated any time to understanding the functions of time in space yet. Maybe he’ll do that when he wakes.

Tony dreams again that night, and for once, his fear isn’t coming from the presence of his father. He almost wishes it was though because this? _This_ is so much worse.

“Hello, boy.”

Tony can’t move. He’s frozen, stuck to the ground like he’s walking in frozen molasses. He has no choice but to stare at the towering hulk of purple.

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time; you’ve been evasive.”

“Not on purpose.”

Tony doesn’t know where he gets the nerve to talk back with such attitude, but it’s burning deep in the pit of his stomach, energising him. Thanos laughs at his gall. It’s booming, and Tony’s bones rattle.

“I need not worry. Your mind is weak, easily penetrable. Right now, your body is entirely under my control. Should I wish, I could have you slowly slaughter your band of imbeciles. Save for my daughter of course. I could have you deliver to me. You are mine now.”

The area around him shifts. Where it was once white, it is now a dark cavernous area, and around him lay the bloodied and beaten bodies of the guardians except Gamora. Gamora is laying at his feet, staring at him defiantly. She is bound, incapable of moving, her mouth covered.

Thanos steps out of nothing and walks towards him, a broad grin growing as Tony’s eyes widen

“But not today.” The image melts. They’re back in the white room. The one without any discernible walls or floor. “I can wait. I look forward to watching you tear yourself apart.”

The dream ends instantly, and Tony is awake. He doesn’t gasp or sit upright. He lays on his pile of blankets, frozen. He stares up at the ceiling, his heart beating painfully around the arc reactor, terror pulsing through his body.

Around him, above the sound of his thumping heart, he can hear the sounds of the team sleeping soundly, unaware of the danger Tony now poses. After a few seconds, he carefully twists his head, and he can see all of them — safe, sound, sleeping.

He makes a decision.

He is slow to move, careful not to make a sound, terrified of waking any of them up and alerting them to his intentions. Absurdly, he feels as though he’s sneaking out, hiding from Jarvis to attend a party.

Once he’s out of the bedroom, he speeds up and heads into the control room. He pushes aside the guilt and scribbles a quick but heartfelt apology note and gathers together a map, an arm-load of random equipment and climbs into a pod. The door closes behind him with a hiss, and he prepares for take-off, eyes scanning the unfamiliar controls. He squeezes his eyes closed.

“Sorry guys.”

The pod breaks away from the ship, and he presses a button that has him flying towards the nearest jump point. One second he can see the Benatar, and the next, it’s gone. He can only see the expanse of Space that leaves his head reeling and his chest tightening in panic.

But it’s OK.

He can’t hurt them now.

He’s OK with being adrift, should he fail to understand the navigation systems on this completely alien ship.

And if he can try and put a block on his mind, then Thanos won’t be able to find him either.

~

 

Loki paces the common area of the compound, mind travelling a million miles a second. The news of the whereabouts of the other infinity stones is troubling. He doubts the earth has even days to prepare.

“What is going to happen?” Thor asks.

“Once he has them all, he will wield unknown power,” Loki admits. “He will erase half of the population.”

“Of earth?”

“Of the universe.”

“Dayum,” Clint groans. “That’s pretty ambitious.”

“This is no time for jokes,” Loki growls. “Our worlds are in imminent danger, and we know not how to prevent it.”

The sharpness of his tone has Clint slumping in the chair and grumbles about trying to lighten the mood.

“Brother, what of the guardians? What of young stark? He can help, can he not?”

Loki turns his razor-sharp glare on Thor, who tenses.

“You would burden the boy with the fate of so many lives?”

“I-”

“And if he could not, you will haunt him with questions and accusations?”

“I didn’t mean -”

“Thanos knows Stark is the only obstacle and will do everything in his power to end him. Such a thing will be his undoing.”

Thor hangs his head in shame and Loki crosses his arms. He will not allow a child to carry the blame for that which he cannot control.

_Speaking of..._

“The guardians call for my presence. I will offer them assistance and return to you with news at my earliest convenience. In the meantime, you would do well to alert your leaders of the impending threat.”

Loki vanishes.

Less than a minute later he reappears with a ‘pop’ and a sour expression.

“I do not wish to alarm you, but Stark has run away.”

The Avengers immediately cry out in alarm.

 

~

 

Bucky hates everyone right now. He’s sure he can feel the soldier tapping his cold, bloodied fingers on Bucky’s consciousness, taunting him, preparing to overpower him, but Bucky steadfastly refuses to give in.

Not that Bucky Barnes can do any more good than the winter soldier can. Neither of them is used to this feeling. Vulnerability. Powerlessness. The absolute inability to do anything to protect the people he wants to protect.

This feeling, it hurts.

“Buck?”  
He startles at the noise and twists to find Steve stood in the doorway of his room. He’s got that ‘I’m worried about you, talk to me’ look, and Bucky is already infuriated by it. Steve acts as though he’s a nanny sometimes, but he fails to see that Bucky isn’t a child and doesn’t need to be fretted over. Tony, on the other hand, is and does. Steve should be reserving all that effort for the kid.

“Steve.”

“I’m worried about you.”

 _Nail, meet head,_ Bucky thinks wryly.

“Don’t be.”

Steve shifts slightly, moving his weight from one foot to the other. It’s not an awkward gesture, merely uncertain. His mouth twists and then opens.

“I know you’re different from the Bucky I knew in the ’40s, but it’s hard to come to terms with that.”

Bucky nods, trying not to show his surprise. He hadn’t really thought about it from Steve’s point of view, too busy being angry at the expectation.

“I’m not trying to pressure you or anything,” Steve promises. “I just… I was foolish to expect anything different, but it’s hard to, uh, come to terms with that, you know?”

Bucky feels bad. He should have been more careful when thinking about Steve’s own mental health. But with everything going on since Tony saved him, he’s not really had time to stop and think. He hasn’t thought about _anything_ really. Not that he was a prisoner for seventy years, brainwashed into committing horrific acts.

“I know,” Bucky says quietly. “Maybe… maybe once this entire mess is over, we can talk about it?”

Steve nods, a little more energy in him, and Bucky tries to smile. When was the last time he managed to smile properly?

 

~

 

Tony is angry. He’s grown more furious and more upset the longer he’s in the pod. He might have left the guardians to keep them safe, but now he has another mission. To _kill_ Thanos. No one should have the power to influence another person, to force their hand to suit their needs. No one has the right to endanger the life of billions of people. No one has the right, and Tony is going to make sure Thanos doesn’t get the chance.

He powers the thrusters on the pod and speeds into another jump, his stomach turning dangerously. He doesn’t want to throw up because he has limited energy to keep him going.

“I’m coming for you, Thanos,” Tony whispers, “and I’ll be the last face you ever see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's late, but that seems to be the theme of my life.  
> I'm so stoked to see Avengers next week! They only came on sale two days ago here, and I took a break from work to run to the cinema to get tickets! It's a 7 am screening on Wednesday, so I get to see it before my students have the chance to ruin it for me (because they would if they could- children are evil).  
> Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! I'll try to update more frequently. I've got a lot of projects on the go at the moment, so I'm swamped.
> 
> Have a lovely day!!!  
> WritingPains


	23. We’re in the endgame now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *No spoilers*
> 
> Tony is drifting, Spider-Man is freaking out and things generally aren’t going well for anyone.

 

Tony isn’t worried. He may not be a fan of the open emptiness of space, but he isn’t worried. He’s actually very very calm. He’s breathing steadily, though he’s forcing himself to do that. His vision is barely even blurring now. He feels perfectly fine. He’s just a little… wary. He doesn’t think he regrets leaving the safety of the ship. Afterall, he did this to keep other people safe from him, not to keep himself self. They deserve better than to be on board with a liability.  
But here he is, sat in a pod with no real knowledge of where to go. And all the while, in the back of his mind, right where the headache is starting to form, there’s the block he’s concentrating on. The one that will stop Thanos from infiltrating his mind and compromising his efforts. He’s not really sure this was the smartest idea. Maybe if he had some idea of where to start his search? Like a map or…  
The Map.  
Tony twists in his seat, hindered slightly by the restricting seatbelt, and searching through the pile of crap next to him for the map he stole. He pulls it towards him and opens it up. His eyes scan the across the paper, but nothing really makes sense. He can’t even find earth.  
How is he supposed to figure out where to take the damned ship if he has no idea where the fight is gonna be? If there even if going to be a fight. He has no idea exactly what Thanos wants, but he knows that he has to keep it away from him at all costs.

~*~*~

Loki snaps his fingers and points at Thor.  
“We need to aid the guardians. We can help them locate Tony and the rest of the Avengers can stay here and stave off any attacks. Word to the wise, if Thanos attacks, you stand a better change together than apart. Send word to us and we will join you if we can.”  
Steve nods, and Bucky stands in the corner, his eyes dark and arms crossed. Loki inclines his head slightly in his direction, recognizing that the man is agonizing over Tony, and hopefully sending some semblance of a promise that Loki will do his best to recover him.  
Thor calls Mjolnir to him and Loki transports them to the ship, where the guardians are startled into stumbling back.  
“Guardians, my brother Thor has joined us. He will help us to locate the boy and if the time comes, fight Thanos.”  
“Nice to meet you, dude,” Quill says, extending a hand.  
“He is no dude,” Drax says reverently. “This is a man.”  
Loki rolls his eyes as he watches Quill’s face darken. He already knows that they’re going to enter into a long, useless conversation in which Quill feels like his masculinity is being challenged and the rest of the guardians dote on Thor. He’s not willing to waste time on that.  
“Stop before you start,” he orders. “We must find Tony, and Thor can help us with that.”  
“How?” Quill challenges.  
“His hammer possesses magical powers which surpass even the best mental block. He can use it to give us some guidance as to where the boy has gone to.”  
“He took the pod,” Rocket calls over his shoulder from where he is sat at the console. “We should be able to track the jump points it uses, but if we get there and can’t see the pod, we’re screwed.”  
“Then that is where I shall come in,” Thor booms. “No fear, Rabbit. Between your technology and my hammer, we will find the child and bring him to safety.”  
Loki moves towards Rocket and watches at the creature searches the area around them for the pods signature. He knows it could take a while, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes to find Tony and keep him out of harm’s way.  
“What is that?” Quill gasps.  
Loki turns around just as Gamora takes a step back and steels her face.  
“That’s my father’s ship.”

~*~*~

Peter has been suffering from a low-grade inkling for over twelve hours. His spider-senses are usually more potent than this, so to have this light thrumming is like having a inch on his back that he can’t reach. Fortunately, it comes to a head on his way to the Museum of Modern Art one morning. He’s silently praying for the itch to go away when the spider-sense hits him and hard.  
His head snaps up and he almost chokes on his panic when he watches a donut shaped thing descend near Bleeker street. He blindly taps Ned on the shoulder.  
“I need you to create a distraction.”  
Ned turns to see what Peter is looking at.  
“We’re all going to die!”  
Peter uses the rush of students to pull open the window and slip out, pulling the mask over his face as he goes. He swings as quickly as he can towards the donut thing and starts to search out for someone or something that requires his attention.  
He spots a large thing running towards a tall floating man with a red cape, and he decides the ugly one is the one he needs to be paying attention to. When the floating man uses magic (holy shit Peter didn’t know Harry Potter was legit) he decides the Human is probably the good guy. (He prays that doesn’t make him racist or something. He’s watched a lot of movies, and the aliens are almost always the bad guys).  
Thwip.  
A stream of web from his crudely designed shooters attaches itself to the creature. Peter pulls and the thing stumbles to the side. The wizard man creates a goddamn portal in the air and Peter sees the plan without needing to be told. He spits out another web and swings into the thing, pushing it through the portal, which closes just as Peter is hitting the ground behind it.  
“Holy cow,” Peter gushes, turning to the wizard, “that was super cool, mister. I’ve never seen anything like that before! Are you a wizard? Did you have to go to school for that? What was that thing?”  
“Kid, I don’t have the time be answering your questions, OK? We need to stop those guys from getting this.”  
He points to a weird necklace. Peter feels bad for thinking it’s ugly. Maybe it’s family heirloom or something, or maybe the guy has a weird thing for odd clothes, cause he looks like he just left some re-enactment from the Lord of the Rings convention.  
“Gotcha,” he says. “Save the thingy from the bad creatures.”  
The man in the cape looks like he’s just been told he has to babysit a hyperactive hyena, and Peter pulls a face at him, glad that the mask hides it. He turns around as a tall, horrifying alien comes towards them. With a flick of his wrist, he has the man in the red cape pinned to the wall, and Peter has been thrown across the street.  
He brushes the pieces of brick from his suit and follows the tall alien as he is beamed up with the cape man.  
This is going to be a long day, and he has no idea how he’s supposed to tell Aunt May that he’ll be late to dinner.

~*~*~

Steve, Bucky, Natasha and Clint arrive at Bleeker street too late to stop it from leaving. Left behind there is carnage, people screaming, destroyed buildings, crashed cars. Between them, they do what they can to help people get to safety, but they know that the real threat has left.  
“We don’t even know what they wanted,” Nat says.  
“I do.”  
A man in robes steps out from behind a car and walks towards the four Avengers.  
“They wanted the time stone,” he tells them gravely. “And they got it. Along with the Sorcerer supreme. I believe they also took a kid dressed as a spider.”  
Clint snickers into his fist, and Natasha doesn’t waste breath telling him to stop. They’ve got bigger problems than his inability to take anything seriously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, Endgame ruined me. Seen it twice and I cried like a weirdo.  
> Second of all, the next two chapters will be much, much longer as they’ll be the final chapters.   
> The next chapter WILL have Endgame spoilers. I’ll post with a wanting. Don’t read it until after you’ve watched it.  
> Anyway, peace out for now


	24. Wakanda Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The build up to the big finale  
> \- no spoilers that I can think of.

Spider-man is freaking out. First of all, he’s in space. Second of all, he’s in space. He’s hiding in the corner of some crazy melted clay faced-man’s donut ship thing and watching the caped-wizard dude get scary needle things poked into his face, which has got to hurt.  
Spider-man doesn’t regret following the wizard, but he is having mixed feelings about the possible outcome of this trip. He’s smart, he knows that. He’s doing really well in school, can understand chemistry better than most people in high-school, and he’s expected to make it as valedictorian. So, yeah, he’s a smart guy, and so when he thinks this space-adventure is going to end badly, he trusts that.  
But there’s no going back. And he should probably do something about the alien hurting the wizard. He’s not sure what exactly, but he needs to do something and quick.  
Peter decides to do what he does best in moments of indecision.  
He doesn’t think. He just acts.  
He swings down from the ceiling and swoops in behind the alien, kicking the back of his head and knocking him down. The needle things fall away from the wizard, who then topples to the ground. Peter then shoots a web towards the wizard, and another to the wall behind him, before shooting his newly-made explosive web ball at the wall on the other side. The wall blows up, the pressure is broken and everything gets sucked out.  
Still dizzy and uncoordinated, the alien is lifted and taken out of the hole. With him gone, Spider-men realises he didn’t think this through. Fortunately, the wizard manages to gather his senses enough to use his own magic to close the hole. Peter falls to the ground with an ‘oomf’ and the wizard lands on his feet.  
“That was terrifying,” Spider-man breathes as he clambers to his feet. “And so wild.”  
The wizard turns away from Peter, which rude, but whatever. He starts to walk towards a large screen, his intelligent eyes assessing everything as Peter watches on, unsure of what to say or do.  
“So… reckon you can take us back?”  
Wizard man turns around quick, his red cape whipping behind him.  
“Who are you?”  
“Oh,” Peter falters. “Um, Peter.”  
He holds out an awkward hand, only for it to go ignore.  
“I’m Dr. Strange.”  
Peter can’t believe he’s introducing himself with his superhero name, but he’s too scared to say anything about it. This is going to end badly, and he suddenly feels very young and stupid. Dr Strange seems to have no inclination to make that better.

~

The team have been back at the compound for a few hours since the mess with the donut ship. Wong had returned to someplace in Asia, saying he needed to confer with other sorcerers before he could offer his help. Steve, Bucky and Clint are in the kitchen, staring blankly at each other. Nat is off in the tower somewhere, making phone calls and Bruce is in the lab. With Thor and Loki gone, they’re unsure where to start with their search.  
“Where is Tony?”  
Clint spins on his heel to find James Rhodes stood in the middle of the lounge in his military uniform. It’s not been that long since they last saw him, but he’s rippled with muscle now, and it’s obvious that his time in the military is only serving to make him stronger.  
“Huh?” Clint says, stupidly.  
“Tony, where is he? I came back because my armour needed an update. I’ve been out of contact for the last few weeks because of an assignment, and I come back to find out that he’s been shot by his goddamn father, and that he’s nowhere to be found. So, let me repeat my very simple question. Where is Tony Stark?”  
Clint looks desperately over to Steve and Bucky. He can’t deal with angry teenagers, not in a time of such high stress. He’s never been great at coping with anger. He’s more the nurturing type than the mediating.  
“He’s… missing,” Steve says.  
Rhodes is silent for a moment, and Clint can see as his mind whirs through a million possibilities.  
“If you’ve let another Afghanistan happen, I’m going to be far from impressed,” he all but growls.  
“Unless there’s a terrorist ring in Space, I think we’re safe from that,” Clint says without thinking.  
“Space?” Rhodes breathes.  
Bucky shakes his head and then signals to the sofa.  
“Sit. I’ll explain.”  
It takes almost fifteen minutes for the story to come to an end, and Clint feels unexpectedly exhausted from it. He and Steve were adding details where they saw fit, and Rhodes seemed to grow more and more upset with each surge in the story.  
“So, Tony ran away from space pirates after magically appearing there, and he’s the one person that can stop half of the entire universe being destroyed?” Rhodes clarifies, his voice barely over a whisper.  
“’Bout sums it up,” Clint nods.  
“That kid is going to be the death of me.”  
Clint is about to make a joke about how he’s likely to be the exact opposite if this Thanos thing comes to head, but before he’s even able to form the sentence in his mind, a phone call comes in.  
“This is T’Challa,” a voice booms. “I am the King of Wakanda, and I am also a keeper of a stone I believe you need to keep protected. I request your assistance in fighting against unknown forces that are making their way towards my country. I will send you the coordinates. I pray you hear my message and come at your earliest convenience.”  
“When did this message come in?” Steve demands, jumping up.  
“Five minutes ago,” Nat confirms. “Suit up, boys. We’ve got a stone to protect.”

~

Tony has almost kind of maybe figured out how to control the pod. He’s heading towards Titan, though he can’t be sure that he’s doing it good job of it. His good sense of direction has zero use in space, where there are no indications, as far as he can tell, that he’s reaching his destination. He just has to trust the pod and it’s navigation system.  
In the meantime, he’s working on keeping his mind protected from Thanos, which is working swell, if his lack of possession is anything to go by. It’s a constant headache, but it’s worth it. Thanos could, in theory, have Tony turn the ship around and return to the Guardians. He can’t put them in danger, and he’s hoping that the further away from them he is, the less likely it is that the curse will affect them. His understanding of magic is fairly weak, but as far as he understands, distance is a big factor in the strength of it. Much like a phone-call, the further apart the two are, the poorer the connection.  
Tony has also been tinkering with bits around the pod, parts that he’s sure it doesn’t need. He wants to make something like his normal suit, though he recognises that it’s going to be significantly harder than it was in Afghanistan. Fortunately, he’s nothing if not a genius, and he intends to make something to will aide him in what is undoubtably going to be a tough battle.

Time passes. Tony falls between consciousness and building. It’s almost no different to the days he would spend in his lab, only this time he doesn’t have people fretting over him, forcing him to eat when he’s too distracted to be hungry and too busy to be tired. He’s in his element, and he loves it, even if the expanse of space is too much for him to focus on because it freaks him out something wicked.  
He’s almost finished with a gauntlet when something in the pod starts flashing and a siren begins wailing. He startles out of his intense focus, and begins frantically searching the control panel for answers. It’s not until he looks up and see’s an approaching planet that he really starts to panic.  
“Oh crap,” he mutters.

~

The giant ship completely engulfs the guardians ship in a shadow. Rocket has tried in vain to shoot it down, but he might as well be throwing candy at a rock for all the good it’s doing. The enemy ship docks against their own, and they’re doomed, they all know it.  
Moments later, four of the ugliest beings Peter Quill has ever seen in his life board the ship, and he steps protectively in front of Gamora.  
“You need to kill me,” Gamora whispers in his ear.  
It’s a soft breeze of air, but the weight of her words almost sends him toppling forward.  
“Please.”  
Peter turns, and he can see fear and acceptance in her eyes. She’s serious. She really wants him to kill her. As though it was possibly that easy.  
“I can’t.”  
“You have to,” she whispers. “It’s the only way to stop him from getting all the stones.”  
Thanos steps onto the ship, his eyes gleaming with greed. He searches out Gamora and then looks around the ship.  
“Where is the boy?” he demands.  
“Tony left,” Rocket sneers. “You’ll never find him.”  
Against all expectations, Thanos laughs loudly and then turns to one of his companions.  
“Go to Titan. Find the boy. Bring him to me.”  
“Of course, sire,” the things snivels, ducking low in a bow before retreating.  
“Kill me now,” Gamora begs.  
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that to happen,” Thanos says. “You will not die until I have from you what I need.”  
“I have nothing to give you!” Gamora shrieks.  
“Come with me or I will kill every last one of your friends.”

~

The Avengers arrive in Wakanda five hours after the transmission. There was a moment of sheer panic when they thought they would be crashing into the treeline, but true to his word, T’Challa had given them the exact entry point. One second, they were staring at vast forestry, and the next they were entering a beautiful city that Steve knew instantly Tony would love.  
It was a technological marvel. A dream for anyone with their deft little fingers pulling apart motherboards and covered in grease from working with car engines. It’s like nothing Steve has ever seen, and despite the impending doom threatened by Thanos’ existence, he allows himself a moment to luxuriate in the opulence of the palace in which the Quinjet begins to descend upon.  
The moment the jet touches ground, Bruce is asking himself whether he should be bowing to the king or not.  
“Of course, you should,” Rhodes says. “He’s royalty.”  
Steve doesn’t know Rhodes very well yet, but he’d insisted on joining them, saying they could use all the military power they could get. It also turns out that Tony had insisted that Rhodey take one of his suits, dubbed War Machine, so he would be a valuable asset to the team.  
Now though, he looks like he’s finally letting his age show through. Steve is certain that they’re not supposed to bow.  
Sure enough, once they’re in front of the King, his family and his Dora Milaj, Bruce bows and the princess snickers.  
“We don’t do that here,” T’Challa informs Bruce.  
Rhodes laughs and Clint shakes his head.  
“We have much to discuss,” the king says. “Please, come inside. My staff have made a feast for your welcome. We have a limited time before the unknown forces arrive, so we must clear the air and help each other understand the circumstances in which we find ourselves.”  
Together, they go inside the palace and Steve can barely watch where he’s going, his eyes flying over the beautiful art and magnificent views the higher they go. Finally, they arrive in a banquet hall, where T’Challa has a feast fit for royalty spread across the entire table.  
“Please, sit, and let us discuss the stone.”  
It’s going to take a while to explain everything, especially without their expert – Loki – the absence of whom will make it impossible to offer all the relevant details.

~

“He just took her!” Quill rages, as he paces the deck of the ship. “He just… came in here like he owned the place and took her.”  
Loki is paying Quill no attention. He’s trying to reach out and find Tony, but to no avail. Thanos seemed certain that he was heading towards Titan, Thanos’ home planet, but Loki can’t figure out why. What would draw him there?  
“Loki, what is the best way forward from here? What should we do?” Thor asks.  
Frustrated that it’s down to him, again, to figure out the course from here, Loki opens his eyes and sighs.  
“You need to go to Nidavellir. They will build you a better weapon, one that is sure to destroy Thanos.”  
“I want something like that,” Quill pipes up.  
“You cannot go,” Loki tells him.  
“You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do on my ship,” Peter growls.  
“You need to stay because you need to find Gamora before Thanos uses her to find and retrieve the soul stone.”  
Peter doesn’t have a response to that. He just rocks back on his heels and nods.  
“Groot, Rocket, will you aid Thor in his quest?”  
“It would be an honour. I love a little danger and excitement in my life,” Rocket says.  
“I am groot,” Groot agrees.  
Rocket hops down from the table and heads towards the spare pod, Groot trailing behind. Thor looks like he wants to say something further, something heart-felt and disgusting, so Loki uses some of his magic to send him flying into the pod.  
“I will see you when this is all over,” he tells them. “Stay safe… brother.”  
The pod releases and Loki can see a watery smile on Thor’s face. He turns away, looking from Peter to Drax.  
“You must go to Titan. We may not know where Thanos is, but we know where he intends to go. He will search for Tony, and we must get there before he does. I need to reach out for help. I will find more people, and then we will find Thanos.”  
“Agreed,” Drax nods. “We will find him and destroy him.”  
“All in good time,” Quill agrees, slapping Drax’s shoulder. “All in good time.”

~

Tony is FREAKING OUT and not in the fun way either. He’s hurtling uncontrollably towards an unknown planet in a tiny pod with no knowledge of how to land the thing. He can see another ship in the distance that has clearly crash-landed and he just knows that he’s going to meet the same fate.  
He’s not ashamed to admit that he’s screaming, and it ain’t manly either.  
The moment he had breached the atmosphere, the navigation system had gone haywire, and the control board started to light up like a damn Christmas tree. There’s no stopping it, and Tony’s mind is in too much turmoil to formulate a real plan.  
Which might explain why he shot a repulsor blast from his newly built gauntlet through the windscreen and jumped out when they were a hundred meters from the ground. His body was flying, and he only had the one glove to try and control his fall. It was not typical Iron Man style, and he was grateful that no one was there to witness his horrendously uncoordinated last moments alive.  
Until there is someone.  
He is seconds away from the ground rushing towards him and turning him into a puddle of genius when a green light encases him and he’s slowed down substantially. He still greets the ground with force, but it only leaves him with a few scratches and bruises, nothing serious, and nothing that could mess with his brain.  
“If you’re gonna plant eggs in our chests, Dr Strange will kill you.”  
Tony startles as he’s about to stand up and lands flat on his arse. He blinks up as a creature in a red and blue suit comes flying towards him, and then almost immediately starts backing away. Whatever this thing is, it could probably kill him with laser eyes or something, and Tony did not just miraculously survive a crash-landing to be vaporised.  
“Woah woah woah,” the thing shouts. “You’re Tony Stark. Hey! Doc! Look, it’s Tony Stark!”  
Tony doesn’t stop trying to escape the thing, but then it pulls a mask away, and it’s just a kid. More than that, he looks human.  
“You know me?” Tony asks, not quite trusting the boy.  
“Who doesn’t,” the kid scoffs. “Smartest kid in America. Dude, I’ve read almost all your papers. You’re like, my idol, man.”  
Tony doesn’t know what to do with that, but he can only assume that taking the boys hand and allowing himself to be hauled to his feet is a good first step.  
“Thanks?” Tony mutters, brushing himself off and wincing when he touches a particularly bruised part of his arm. “Uh, that magic? Who was that?”  
“That would be me,” a man in a red cape says. “I am doctor strange.”  
“Is that your real name?” Tony asks, pulling a face. “Cause if it is, cool. If it’s not, I think being stranded on an alien planet puts us past the need for secret identities.”  
“Preach,” the other kid whispers.   
The man rolls his eyes and mutters something about day-care. Tony doesn’t bother to listen to him. Adults in their height of stress aren’t great at conversation.  
“So, what’s your name?” he asks.  
“Peter Parker. Or Spider-Man.”  
“Spider-man? You sure, dude?”  
“Hey, watch it. I’m two years older than you, OK?”  
“Yeah, but I’m not walking around calling myself a ‘man’ before my balls have even dropped.”  
Peter cracks a bright smile, and he nudges Tony jovially.  
“Whatever man.”  
“Tell me, Mr Stark,” Dr Strange says, turning back around, “how did you come to find yourself in space?”  
“Long story short, the God of mischief taught me magic after he kidnapped me when I was in hospital after being shot. I accidentally used that magic to, like, apparate onto a spaceship with a tree, a raccoon, a human and two people that I’m not even sure the official race of. And then, yeah, I ran away because Thanos wanted to use them against me. And here I am.”  
Dr Strange doesn’t outwardly react, but Peter puts his hands on his head and gapes.  
“Holy shit dude. That’s insane.”  
“Thanos – the man who wants the infinity stones?” Dr Strange asks.  
“Yeah, you know about those?”  
“We are here because some of his… minions tried to take the one I am the guardian of.”  
Tony’s eyes immediately catch the green glint of the necklace around the man’s neck.  
“Right. Well, I’m fairly certain this is his home, so of all the places to have not brought the stone, this is among the worst.”  
“I am sworn to protect it. If this Thanos person is intent on getting his hands on it, it is best to cut the problem off at the source.”  
Tony shrugs.  
“Makes sense I guess.” He purses his lips in awkwardness. “Wanna help me build another Iron Man armour?”  
“Do I?” Peter exclaims.  
“Not particularly,” Dr Strange grumbles.

~

“Beneath the vibranium filled mountains of Wakanda is a cave protected by ancient magic. Inside said cave is an infinity stone. We were charged with the task of protecting it three thousand years ago. However, I assume that a person who intends to steal it will have the ability to bypass the security with relative ease. We have an army unparalleled, but we have no idea of what the powers of those beyond earth are. Scripture suggests that the stones should never be together. The power is too hard to resist for those who stumble upon a stone – and to those who seek it, it is destined to have catastrophic results.”  
“So, what you’re saying is, the only thing between Thanos and this stone is… us?” Clint asks, pointing at himself.  
“You, me, my army and the tribesmen around me.”  
“Do you think we have a chance to win?” Bucky asks.  
“I believe that if we go into the fight thinking we will lose, then we do not have hope. In my time, I have found that belief and hope go a long way to winning.”  
Steve finds himself liking T’Challa more and more. The man is no-nonsense and wise to boot. He seems a little young to be king, but he is clearly doing an excellent job of it. If he has to fight against anyone to fend off the dangers that threaten his planet and the existence of half the people in the Universe, he is glad that he is with his team and T’Challa’s.  
“My King, the unknown forces will be arriving any moment now,” one of the Dora say. “We should prepare our defences.”  
T’Challa nods and he stands. Everyone in the room stands with him, and together they exit the building and join an expanse of people near the boarder of the city. Beyond a small river that runs it’s course around the country, ships descend and from them come hundreds of wolf like creatures.  
“Together,” T’Challa shouts, “we stand against unknown forces. We fight to succeed. We fight together. We fight not only for Wakanda, but also for the world.”  
A cheer erupts from those around him, a deafening and humbling sound.  
“Yibambe!” he shouts  
“Yibambe!” the repeat.  
“Yibambe!”  
“Yibambe!”  
“Yibambe!”  
“Yibambe!”  
“WAKANDA FORVER!”  
“WAKANDA FOREVER!”  
And then – all hell breaks loose.

~

“We don’t have much time,” Tony tells them breathlessly, as he rips part of the donut ship apart. “I’m kinda useless without the suit. My magic is limited as it is, and apparently until I’m stronger – my body got a little messed up after being shot, hence the blue light in my chest – I can’t perform any proper magic.”  
“Magic?” Dr Strange asks from where he stands apart from the two boys tearing at the ships intestines. “You weren’t joking earlier?”  
“No jokes here, Doc, an Asgardian God showed me how to do it before my friends performed surgery on me,” Tony shrugs. “So all the magic has to come from you, Harry Potter.”  
Dr Strange makes a strangled sound.  
“You’re Harry Potter,” he argues, affronted. “I’m Dumbledore.”  
Tony snickers, which quickly turns into a cry of jubilation.  
“Found it!” he shouts, pulling out a string of wires and throwing it onto the pile of innards he and Peter have salvaged together. “I can build from this, but it won’t be anywhere near the capabilities of my normal suit. It’ll serve it’s purpose though. If we manage to slow Thanos down at least, we can attempt to get back to earth and from there I can get my proper suit.”  
Peter seems enthralled by Tony’s every word. Tony has never had a fan boy before and he’s not sure what to do with it. Does he try to make himself seem less awesome? Cause Tony has never considered himself worth being idolised before, and he’s honestly not sure what there is to idolise. Sure, he’s smart, but he’s a mess. Isn’t that overtly obvious to anyone with the misfortune to meet him?  
“Uh, Peter, can you go bring me anything that resembles a blowtorch?”  
“Sure,” Peter trills, energetically.  
Tony watches Peter bound away and then sags a little.  
“You’re worth the admiration.”  
Tony startles and looks up at Dr Strange. The man has been nothing but superior and pessimistic this entire time he’s known him, so to hear anything kind from him is a bit of a shock.  
“Don’t just say things to be nice,” Tony mumbles. “You don’t know anything about me.”  
“I do. I know that you possess the ability to produce ‘magic’ when you should not. I know you’re on your way to graduating at MIT with more than one graduate degree. I know you built and operated a suit to escape a kidnapping. I also know that you are the one who will save the world from Thanos. You’re far more than you give yourself credit for, Anthony Stark. Young Peter see’s in you what you will not. Intellect beyond your years, a heart kinder than what life has been to you, and a passion that people wish they had.”  
Tony ducks his head to hide the blush that is undoubtedly creeping into his face. Dr Strange says no more, and out of the corner of his eye, Tony can see him moving away.  
“Got it, Tony!” Peter calls as he webs his way back over. “One blow torch, coming up. Also, look! Some screwdriver-looking things. Need any more help?”  
Tony spreads the components of his new suit out around him.  
“Yeah, I do.”

Three hours later, Tony and Peter are sweating, but the gauntlets, boots, chest plate and helmet are done. They’re an unfortunate mixture of grey and darker grey, but Tony figures he’ll have to rock it until he has a better option. He doubts he’ll find any spray paint around here.  
“That was exhilarating,” Peter breathes out. “I mean, woah. Making the web fluid was one thing, but that was awesome.”  
“Sadly, the reason we need it is far less awesome.”  
Tony, with the help of Peter, puts the armour on. It doesn’t even nearly feel as good as his normal armour, and he doubts he’ll be as powerful in it as he would usually feel, but unfortunately, that’s a burden he must bear.  
“Hey, Doc, look, we—oh no. The aliens are here.”  
Tony turns to find Dr Strange backing away from two people. He’s blocking Tony’s view, so he can’t see what the people look like. Peter shoves Tony behind him, to offer extra protection, which Tony resents. He can look after himself, and he does not need someone to ‘protect’ him just cause he’s a few measly years older.  
“Back off!” Peter shouts. “Or we will use deadly force.”  
“Don’t care,” comes a familiar voice. “Tell us where Gamora is before we shoot off your heads!”  
“Gamora?” Dr Strange says. “Who is Gamora?”  
“Don’t play games, your cape-wearing weirdo. We’re asking the questions.”  
“No,” Peter Parker argues. “We are. Now, what is Gamora?”  
“No, we are,” comes Drax’s voice. “Now, why is Gamora.”  
Tony creases up laughing, and Peter shoots him a worried look.  
“Drax, you idiot,” Tony calls fondly. “That doesn’t even—wait. Where is Gamora?”  
“That’s what I said!”  
Quill steps to the side and spots Tony, who’s helmet doesn’t cover his face.  
“Tony?”  
Tony nods, and Quill tries to move forward, but Dr Strange steps in his way.  
“Who are you?” he demands.  
“I’m Peter Quill. This is Drax.”  
“No way!” Peter Parker crows. “Peter Quill, as in the kid that was abducted by aliens in the 80’?”  
Quill seems thrown by the appearance of another teenager, but he puffs out his chest.  
“Yeah, that’s me.”  
“That’s cool. I watched a documentary about abductions in Massachusetts and you were in it.”  
“Really? No way!”  
“Yeah, right? That’s so cool.”  
Tony can’t believe the conversation is digressing this far, and he shouts to draw everyone’s attention.  
“What happened to Gamora?”  
“Thanos took her.”  
Tony’s stomach sinks.  
He’s aware that Gamora was taken from her planet by Thanos when she was young, but he can’t understand why Thanos would take her back.  
“She is the only person who knows where the Soul Stone is,” Peter explains.  
“So, you’re here because?”  
“Because Loki sent us. He thinks Thanos will show up.”  
“Hold up,” Dr Strange orders. “You all know each other?”  
“Yeah, these are the guys whose ship I showed up on.”  
“Cool,” Peter Parker offers.  
“Not for much longer,” Tony offers.  
He points to the desert lands beyond the door of the ship. There, just far enough away that their features are indistinct, is a person.  
“Someone is over there,” Tony says grimly. “We should prepare for the fight of our lives.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while. My focus has been on my Wattpad book.  
> If you’re on Wattpad and want someone to read your stuff - follow me. STStevens.


	25. Chapter 25

Clint is not having a great day. First, they were taken to a country he had been unaware of, then he was stuffed full of food (not exactly a bad thing, but he’s complaining, and Nat has always said that he’s capable of complaining about everything) and then boom, some ugly mofo’s showed up demanding the mind stone.

These people, if they were in fact people, we’re large and alien. One of them, Clint thinks it might be a lady alien, has stripes of black down her face, and behind her is large bulking creature, kind of like the hulk, but definitely scarier because Clint has fought alongside the Hulk and this guy looks like he could eat ten Clint’s and still have room for dessert. Which terrifies him even more. Are the aliens going to eat them?

And the alien people didn’t come alone. They brought their little alien pets, only instead of having one or two, they’ve gone full crazy cat lady and they have _thousands_ of the little critters. Obviously, with such a large army of frankly terrifying monsters, Clint wouldn’t put it past them to actually win this thing, but still: the kid is lost in space somewhere, Thor and Loki upped and left and now it’s down to them to fend an infinity stone by themselves.

To make things worse, though that didn’t even seem possible before, Clint can’t stop worrying about Tony and what he’s doing. Is he safe? Is he lonely? Is he eating and drinking appropriately?

Is he _alive_?

Suddenly, a metal arm grabs the collar of his suit and he’s lifted and flown away way from an attack he hadn’t even noticed coming.

“Quit worrying about Tony,” Rhodes demands. “He’s perfectly capable of looking after himself, but if you die, he’ll hate you for it. Eyes on the prize, Barton, and that means coming out of this with your life.”

“Gotcha, Tinman. Drop me anywhere. I’ll try not to worry about the teenager with no sense of self-preservation lost in space.”

Without even seeing his face, Clint knows Rhodes is rolling his eyes. He has that effect on people. He’s not ashamed of the fact. Actually, he’s quite proud of it. He’s driven the most composed agents to utter frustration in the past and he’s proud of himself for the fact.

Rhodes drops Clint further inland, and Clint searches for somewhere higher up. He’s not useless in hand-to-hand combat - he didn’t become one of the best agents in SHEILD for no reason - but he prefers to use is bow and arrow. It’s his strength, and he knows one should always play to their strengths.

Clint eventually climbs atop a large rhino with war paint decorating the side and starts shooting at everything that comes into sight. It’ll be a hell of a job retrieving those arrows later, but for now he has a quiver to empty and monsters to kill.

 

~

 

“Should we shoot it?” Peter asks, voice barely above a whisper.

“Maybe it’s not even here for us,” Quill shrugs.

Suddenly, the being on the hill twists and they can all see wide, black eyes staring at them. Whatever it is starts to walk towards them, and Peter scrambles backwards, hiding behind Drax. When Tony feels a tug on his arm, he yells out in surprise.

“Hey!”

Peter is deaf to his objections and suddenly Tony is being hauled out of the things view and held tightly in Peter’s arms.

“Ow!” Tony complains loudly, even though it doesn’t hurt. “Let me go, man. I have the suit. I can take care of myself.”

“That’s true, but it’s also true that you don’t have to, cause look! Drax is a wall of muscle and he won’t let us get hurt.”

“Are you calling me stupid?” Drax asks, confused. “Quill talks about walls when he is attempting to imply that I am stupid.”

Peter pales, and immediately backs up, still pulling Tony with him.

“N-no, sir, that’s not w-what I meant,” Peter stutters. “I just meant that you’re s-strong.”

Drax immediately brightens, the change so quick it gives Tony whiplash. He smiles wide and pulls Peter into a bone crushing hug.

“Thank you, small being. Such kindness is not often sent my way.”

Peter gasps, and then practically falls to the ground once Drax has released him. Snickering, Tony helps him to his feet. Dr Strange shakes his head.

“Can we please focus on the threat ahead,” he demands.

“We’re not really known for ‘focusing’,” Quill admits with a shrug.

“Except when you had a dance off with Ronan,” Drax repeats.

“A dance off?” Tony repeats with a tilt of his head.

“It was marvellous.”

“Like in Footloose?” Peter asks.

“Exactly like in footloose. Is that still the greatest movie of all time?”

Peter looks positively alarmed.

“It was never the greatest movie of all time.”

Quill seems to have a difficult time coming to terms with those words, and Tony claps his hands and points towards the thing walking closer and closer.

“Dr Strange is right. We really should be thinking of a plan. If that thing gets here and we’re bickering about stupid movies.”

“Stupid movies?” Quill repeats, perplexed, wide eyed.

“Eyes on the danger please.”

They all stare a little dumbfounded as the being creeps within defining view. This close, Tony can tell that it’s a woman. There appears to be antennas coming out of her head, and her eyes are huge. The first thing that comes to Tony’s head is the image of a bug, only she’s pretty, so a pretty bug. It doesn’t stop Tony from freaking out, though. Despite being around aliens for so long, it still scares him to be meeting them.

“She looks like a beetle,” Peter whispers.

“Yes. A very ugly beetle,” Drax nods.

“I am not here to hurt you!”

They all startle when she speaks, and Tony wonders if she could sense how many earth people were there who spoke English as a first language. He learnt, after some pointed questions, that Quill was outfitted with a universal translator, meaning that he could understand all the languages spoken around him. Drax probably has a similar thing, which is why they’re able to _speak_ English, as well as understand it. Tony has assumed the translator worked after the first words were spoken, but maybe it’s actually smarter than that.

“I have news.”

Quill doesn’t untense at the declaration, so neither does Tony. Quill is far more experienced with Space Dangers than Tony is, so his lead is the best to follow.

“What news?” Dr Strange asks.

“News of Quills father, and of _Thanos._ ”

Quill sucks in a breath, and Tony frowns. Hadn’t Quill mentioned that he didn’t know his father? So, why would a human from earth have an alien telling him about his absent father?

“What do you know about my father?” Quill asks, sounding as confused as Tony feels.

The woman comes to a stop in front of them. As far as aliens go, she isn’t exactly the embodiment of threatening beings. She’s small, much like a regular human in their twenties. Her skin is light green, but it’s hardly noticeable. The antennae on the top of her head are the most noticeable feature, though her big black eyes come in close second.

“Until yesterday, I worked for him.”

Quill stills, eyes narrowing, and then he steps towards to woman, breathing in and coming up to his full height, which causes him to tower over her. Even Tony finds himself shrinking away from Quill, and Peter presses himself closer to Tony’s side.

“What happened?”

The woman wrings her hands and her eyes flit from face to face, before resettling on Quill.

“He died. He was a bad man. He fathered millions of children, and he murdered them all. He was going to use you to destroy earth. You were supposed to be delivered to him years ago, he hired a man to do it as he had with the others, but you never arrived. He is the reason your mother died. The Ravagers, led by a blue man, stormed the palace and together they murdered Ego and freed the universe from his hold.”

She says the entire thing with little emotion, but her nervousness is tangible. Tony doesn’t know what to say. To learn that your father was a monster and then to discover that he died must be quite the head-turning event.

“The Blue Man, Yondu. What happened to him?”

Tony thinks it’s probably not the first question he would have asked, personally, but he supposes Quill has his own reasons.

“He sent me to find you,” the woman explains. “He said he was sorry for pretending he was going to eat you, and that he never truly intended to.”

Tensions floods out of Quill’s shoulders and the woman looks to Tony.

“You.”

Tony steps back and doesn’t complain when Peter steps in front of him.

“Me?” Tony squeaks, not happy that the attention is back on him.

“You. Thanos searches for you. The child who sees the future, the one and only who can thwart his plans. Your death is his greatest wish. You are in grave danger.”

Tony nods. Nothing new there.

“I intend to help you.”

“What makes you think we trust you?” Dr Strange asks.

“I cannot prove that you can trust me. You just must.”

Tony isn’t as convinced as he wishes he was, but they’re hardly in a position to be turning away willing volunteers. They need an army to even have a chance of beating Thanos, and though the lady doesn’t look like much, they have to take what they can get.

“Other than devastating news, what could you possibly have to offer us?” Quill asks.

The woman reaches out wordlessly and touches Quills forehead with two fingers.

“Sleep,” she commands.

Quill falls to the floor, boneless.

“Ahaha! Do me next!” Drax calls out excitedly.

“No!” Tony shouts, leaping forward and kneeling at Quills side and then scowling at Drax. “Couldn’t you have caught him?”

“Yes.”

Tony stares at Drax for a moment and then decides it’s really not worth his time.

“Wake him up,” Tony demands.

The woman kneels down and repeats her actions, whispering ‘wake up’.

Quill’s eyes open and he lurches forward with a panicked cry.

“What did you do?” he shouts.

“You asked what I could do. Well, I can feel and manipulate emotions.”

Quill stares at her for a long time, and Tony waits for his verdict.

“Ok. Fine. But later, I want to hear more about my father. In the meantime, I have a plan forming.”

Peter steps forward and looks uneasily between Tony and Quill.

“Um, I hate to interrupt, but I feel like we’re limited on… um, _responsible_ adults and Dr Strange is… uh, he’s doing a thing.”

Tony whips around to find Dr Strange having the most peculiar fit. He’s floating mid-air, sat almost as though meditating, but his head is whipping to the side erratically. It’s so quick that there seems to be more than one head at a time. Tony steps towards him, arm outstretched, but he hesitates. Dr Strange seems like a very capable person – wizard, whatever – and surely, he knows what he’s doing? Should Tony even risk interfering?

Before Tony can come to a decision, the shaking stops and Dr Strange looks Tony dead in the eye.

“What happened? What were you doing?”

Tony thinks that maybe he shouldn’t be so forward with his questioning, but there’s something about being stuck on a planet in the middle of space that urges him to let go of his desire to be overly polite.

“I just saw fourteen million, six hundred and five different ways that this could end.”

Tony doesn’t like the way his says that. There’s no optimism in his voice. No sign that he has anything other than terrible news to share, and that terrifies Tony so much that his knees buckle. Peter grabs him and gently lowers him to the ground.

“How many times do we win?” Peter asks with far too much enthusiasm.

“One.”

“Oh.”

With the enthusiasm gone, Tony feels like his little episode is definitely justified. He can’t believe this is happening. He can’t believe that there is only one chance of them surviving.

“How?”

Dr Strange averts his gaze.

“I cannot say.”

Tony wants to rage, demand that Dr Strange tells them, but something makes him hold back. Maybe the logic that he knows he can’t force it to happen, or maybe the fear that he would fail anyway. Whatever it is, he takes a deep breath and nods.

“Ok. Let’s figure out what we’re going to do. We’re gonna need to give everything we’ve got.”

 

~

 

“You understand boy, you’re about to take the full force of a star. It’ll kill you.”

Thor steels himself, head held high and shoulders straight.

“Only if I die.”

There’s a pause in which Thor imagines them celebrating his bravery.

“Yes. That’s what killing you means.”

Thor mentally backtracks on the conversation but saves the cringing for later. Right now, he has pain to endure and an axe to wield.

The light comes at him with a strength that would tear apart a lesser man, and he _screams_ through the pain, forcing himself to go on, praying that Eitri is able to use this effort to forge the only thing that will stop Thanos. Even as the life is forced out of him and he is driven to his knees, he still believes that he will survive. He has to. Otherwise, Thanos will kill more people than he can conceivably understand.

Darkness takes him, despite the bright star, and he crumples to the ground in hope.

 

~

 

 

Inevitably, Thanos comes. He is followed by a blue woman who appears to be more robot than human. Tony was shaking with fear, and he’s not ashamed to admit that he was close to tears from the terror. Peter pushes him down, keeping him out of sight. Tony doesn’t fight against him. He doesn’t have the full power of his normal suit behind him, and there’s far more of his body left open to attack than he is comfortable with.

The plan that Quill had rather ingeniously come up with actually wasn’t the worst plan in the world. Both Peter and Tony had had their reservations, what with one of their battles ending in a dance off. However, they agreed that with Mantis on their side, they had a pretty good chance of winning.

“Where is Gamora?”

Though, now that Tony thinks about it, maybe the only flaw in Quill’s plan is Quill himself.

Damn.

Thanos doesn’t bother to offer an answer, though the blue woman looks over at Quill with sadness in her eyes. Even from where he is hidden, he can see the grief and pain in her eyes, and it causes Tony’s heart to clench.

“Underoos,” Tony quips, pointing towards where Quill is staring down the giant purple grape.

Peter nods, though he looks confused about the reference. Tony had always been a fan of the brand and in his limited social circle, he had assumed they were popular.

Apparently not.

Tony gives Strange the nod, and a portal appears beside him. Peter hops through, and at the same time, Drax comes charging out of the debris. Following him is Tony, who is under explicit orders to stay away and work only as emergency back-up.  He may or may not have argued, but eventually he saw the logic in staying behind. He’s more useless dead. In the meantime, with his mask down, he hovers to the side and shoots well-aimed repulsors at Thanos and his blue side-kick.

The aim is to distract Thanos enough for Peter to drop Mantis on his shoulders and put him to sleep. Then, they would wrestle the gauntlet from his hand. Really, the plan from there is unclear, but once they’re in possession of the stones, Thanos will be vulnerable. They could easily neutralise the threat from there.

“Alright, Ballsack, this ends here!” Quill roars.

The blue woman, Tony notes with interest, steps away from the fray and folds her arms over her chest. She’s not ducking out, Tony realises. She’s giving them an in.

Tony shoots a blaster at his face, and Dr Strange has his cape wrap around the gauntlet on his hand, the same one glistening with four stones. Tony almost falters at the beauty of them, but then Mantis is shouting ‘Sleep!’ and the plan is all out.

Tony leaps forward, his hands gripping the gauntlet and tugging with all his strength. Peter joins the effort, and Dr Strange stands to the side, concentrating on something. Quill, however, seems to be preoccupied.

“Where is Gamora?” he screams again.

“He is _grieving_ ,” Mantis declares.

“What does he have to grieve? He is a monster.”

“He grieves for Gamora.”

The blue woman steps forward, and her body is wound tightly.

“He killed her?”

“To get the soul stone.”

Quill’s face fills with rage instantly, and he lunges forward.

“Quill, no!” Tony shouts. “We’re close!”

And they are. Tony and Peter can feel the gauntlet giving, and he truly believes that he will be able to get it off within seconds if only Thanos wasn’t be riled up.

“Please!” Tony begs. “Stop!”

“He is strong!” Mantis shouts, her voice strained.

Quill pays no attention and his barrage of attacks eventually pulls Thanos through his enforced slumber. Tony loses his grip on the gauntlet, and before he has the chance to do anything else, Thanos has grabbed him by the front of his shirt and he’s held up from the ground by nothing but the thin cotton t-shirt.

“Stark,” the man purrs, “I’ve long waited to have you within my grasp, and now that I do, you can bet that you won’t survive to see the next day.”

“Screw you,” Tony hisses, kicking Thanos in the chest and turning on the repulsors.

Tony flips away, a feat he could only accomplish because of the boots. He lands a short distance away, and Peter immediately pulls him out of the way, putting him behind a large rock.

“Stay,” Peter orders, the nerdy reverence he spoke with earlier gone. “The plan is… well, there is no plan. Just attack from a distance.”

Tony nods shakily, though he doesn’t really think there’s much point in obedience now. Thanos is going to win, and Tony truly hasn’t felt this helpless in a long time. He wants to go home. He wants to be sitting between Ana and Jarvis, watching something stupid on TV and eating Ana’s cooking. He wants to hang around with Clint and Bucky and argue with Steve and learn to fight with Natasha. He wants to _go home._

“You hide from me?” Thanos roars, as he swipes an arm and sends Peter sprawling against the rock. “You let these beings fight for you? You allow yourself to remain safe while they fight and risk their lives? You would behave so lowly?”

Tony hadn’t considered this to be anything other than a fight of good against evil. No one was fighting for him, were they? Why would they be? Tony was not to be protected. He wasn’t worth anyone getting hurt. And if they _are_ getting hurt for him…

“Ah, there we are.”

Tony steps around the rock, ignoring the weak grip from Peter’s hand on his ankle. He pretends that he doesn’t hear the words of warning from everyone else. Even the blue woman steps forward and tries to scream at him to stop. Thanos backhands her and she’s sent flying across the acrid desert landscape. Tony feels the air shift from her body flying past him.

“Stark,” Thanos grins, “it truly is a pleasure.”

Tony grins back.

“You won’t be saying that for long.”

Tony throws a punch at Thanos’s chin, and the impact is weak, but it catches the man off guard. Tony then blasts his shoulder with the repulsor, but Thanos twists away. He grabs Tony by the wrist and holds it high above their heads and looks up to the sky.

Tony looks up too, and his eyes widen in horror as the stones glow and suddenly a big ball appears in the distance. And then Tony realises that it’s not a ball at all, but rather a _moon_ and the panic intensifies. He struggles away from Thanos, and it’s mostly ineffectual until he punches the bastard in the eye. Thanos’ grip loosens and Tony leaps away, quick to throw his hands above his head and crouch low to ground.

The impact is pitiful, and Tony realises immediately that the reason has something to do with the glow of green around him. He throws Strange a grateful smile, a look that is returned with stern coldness. Tony ignores it, and lunges towards Thanos with a sharp piece of broken spaceship that he happened to find.

It nicks the giants arm, drawing a small amount of blood, but Tony isn’t given the chance to feel pride at his achievement, small as it may be. Instead, he’s thrown into a world of pain when Thanos twists his hand around and drives the shard through Tony’s stomach. The pointed end comes out at the other end, and Tony gags on the blood that is already rising in his throat.

“Give me the time stone, or he will die.”

Tony watches is horror as Strange pulls the time stone into existence.

“No,” he whispers in horror.

“Yes,” Thanos cries in jubilation.

And then, he’s gone.

 

~

 

Bucky cheers with Steve when Thor returns, a tree and raccoon in tow. Sure, he’s confused as hell and in the fight for his life, but Thor is a heavy hitter, and having one of those back at their side serves to make him feel much, much better about his chances.

“You losers have no chance against us,” the raccoon shouts, wielding a large gun, “not when we have the offspring of a god and an angel on our side.”

Bucky assumes the talking rodent is referring to Thor, and he grins wider. This battle has been tough, and the time he’s had to live without Tony, who for all intents and purposes, is still his mission, but he can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. A light that shows him Tony and the end of Thanos.

And then the hope goes away. In a flash, Thanos appears on the battlefield, and he grins a malicious, toothy grin, and takes off towards the mountain. Bucky, and Steve tear after him, and along the way T’Challa follows too. Thanos, though incomprehensibly large, is surprisingly fast and sprints just out of reach. Any bullets that Bucky shoots towards him fall away uselessly.

“What is here belongs to no one,” T’Challa shouts. “You have no right.”

Thanos stops on the top of the hill, and Bucky is help upright and panting beside a tree. He’s incredibly fit, but that incline did not agree with him. Not at that speed.

“I am to be the wielder of the stones. Watch my power, and then deny me the right, King.”

Thanos raises his gauntleted fist to the sky, and lightning flashes around him. Fissures appear in the ground, and Bucky and Steve are thrown to the grassy carpet from the quakes that rock the area around them.

T’Challa, in all his regal wonder, lurches forward, claws extended, and attempts to fight Thanos, but he is knocked to the side as though he were simply a fly. Steve runs forward and Thanos brings the gauntlet to his face, but Steve holds it off, which Bucky can tell surprises the Titan. However, it’s not enough, and Steve is tossed to the side like a discarded candy wrapper. Bucky watches as an orange/yellow stone floats towards Thanos.

“You’re going to destroy everything,” Bucky accuses with a calmness he didn’t know he possessed. “The repercussions will be far more than you can comprehend. Much more than half of the universe will die. The accidents, the grief, the trauma will wipe out all of life. Are you willing to risk that?”

Thanos meets Bucky’s eyes, but his gaze flickers to the left, and the purple titan steps back. A second later, Thor has buried the curve of his axe into Thanos’ chest. Bucky swells with hope, thinking prematurely that they have won. But a second later, Thanos is saying, ‘you should have gone for the head’ and then Bucky knows nothing else.

 

~

 

“Why would you do that?” Tony cries, arms wrapped around his bleeding wound, staring at Dr Strange with betrayal.

“We’re in the endgame now. You need to help. You need to be alive. You—”

Tony gasps when Dr Strange’s body turns brown and floats away as ash. He reaches out, but Dr Strange really is gone.

“Oh man.”

Tony turns quickly to find Quill disintegrating. And then Drax. And then Mantis.

“No. No no no! What’s happening?!” Tony screams. “Stop!”

But they don’t. One minute they’re all surrounding him, and the next he’s alone with Nebula and Peter.

“What just happened?”

Peter shrugs, and then falls to his knees. He shivers, and then his eyes grow wide and they stare dead into Tony’s.

“Somethings wrong,” Peter whispers. “I’m… I don’t know. I’m _going_. Tony, Dr Strange, h-he knows what he’s talking about, o-ok? Stay alive. Save the world. I’ve followed you from day one, man. You can do it. If anyone can do it, it’s—”

Tony tries to grab Peter, to stop him from floating away in tiny, broken pieces, but it’s in vain. Peter joins the others, and Tony is left alone on an alien planet with no way to know who else had survived. He wants to break down, to cry, to beg for help, but it’s pointless. They’ve lost.

They’ve lost everything.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... it's been a while.   
> My bad.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

 

Tony is curled up on the ground in the dusty desert landscape, sobbing. They lost. They lost everything. He can’t even comprehend how much they lost because it’s so much. Half of all living beings in the entire universe. Half of everything alive has died. And now Tony is alone, on an alien planet, lord knows how far from home.

He lays for a long time, longer than it takes for the tears to dry, longer than it takes for him to notice that he’s hungry, thirsty and tired. He wishes he could just take an extended nap, but he’s not sure his body would let him. Besides, people need him, right? If he even has people left. He needs to find a way home.

“Get up.”

Tony startles at the voice, cold, hard and mechanical. In front of him, hands on her hips is Nebula. The only other one to not get taken by Thanos’ snap.

“Get up,” she repeats. “We have to get out of here.”

Tony nods shakily and pushes himself to his feet. His unsteady, but the woman reaches out with surprisingly gentle hands and helps him to walk. Tony isn’t looking where he’s going, his eyes moving around the area, trying not to look at the dust in the air and think of it as the people that had been there moments before.

“The ship has little power, but if we can break beyond the atmosphere, then we can work on sourcing the power from elsewhere.”

Tony nods along, though he barely hears anything. Every step brings a new wave of pain, and by the time they reach the Guardians ship, Nebula is bearing more of Tony’s weight than Tony is.

“You are bleeding heavily. This is inconvenient.”

Tony coughs, and when he pulls his hand away, it’s coated in blood.

Nebula lifts him into her arms as his knees give out beneath him, and she carries him into the ship and lays him on a seat.

“The circumstances are not ideal, but we must first leave this planet before I can tend to your injury.”

Tony is barely conscious, but he makes a grunt, one that hopefully conveys his understanding and permission for her to continue as is. It doesn’t matter. He likely won’t live to see the result of it, and he knows that.

 

~

 

Clint sits at the edge of the bloody battlefield with his head in his hands. Things had very briefly been looking up, and he had foolishly thought there was a chance they would win. Thanos changed that. None of them had really gotten a good picture of what the man would look like, and they certainly had no idea of his other-worldly strength. They never stood a chance.

Perhaps the worst part is that none of them knows what’s happening now. The only people left that Clint knew was himself, Steve, Bruce, Thor and Nat. Tony could be anywhere, dead maybe, Bucky turned to dust, as did half of the people on the battlefield.

Clint feels Nat sit beside him, and neither say a word, both struggling with the way the battle went.

“We need to reverse this,” Nat says.

“Do you think we can?”

“If we assume that we can’t, where does that lead us?”

Clint shrugs, unsure. They’d have nothing, he figures. Nothing to work towards, nothing to plan. They’d just have to accept it and move on, and that won’t be easy.

“Let’s go and find the others.”

The two get to their feet despite the crushing weight of the world in their shoulders. The push forward, searching for the team and finding them on the quinjet, staring at the ground or pacing. No one knows what to do with themselves. They’ve been screwed, and any hope they had once held when thinking Thanos gone.

“He called me Dad,” Rocket bemoans. “And he’s gone.”

Clint can only assume the guy is talking about the tree. He’s not sure if he can spare any more anger at the world. Rocket and Groot won’t be the only family torn from the other.

“We need to… we need…” Clint flounders, searching for a plan. “There will be kids left without parents. Hospital patients left without doctors. We need to save them!”

“And start where?” Nat asks eyebrows pinched in sympathy.

“Reach out. Find others. Find people who can help and ask them to. We might not have an immediate remedy to _this,_ but we have to do what we can.”

Steve latches onto the plan instantly.

“I’ll put out a message to countries everywhere.”

“I will,” Clint says, stepping up. “Sorry Cap, but I know how to rally troops on the internet better than you. You need to lead. I’m going to Twitter. Birdman69 hasn’t been online for a while, but I have a following, and Reddit is an amazing community.”

“What’s Reddit?”

Clint pulls out his phone and immediately puts out a message, telling people what to do.

‘Check on your neighbours’ kids, go to hospitals and volunteer, go outside and help those in need. The Avengers are doing what they can to fix this.

Peace out, Birdman69.’

 

~

 

_Day 1_

 

Tony is brought into wakefulness by a rough shaking that causes him to cry out in pain. Tears form and Nebula swims into view.

“The ship has run out of fuel.”

Tony groans, making sure to move as little as possible.

“And?”

Usually Tony would be the first to start working on solutions, but there’s nothing he can do. He’s incapacitated. He’s not going to be able to do anything.

“You are organic. I can survive a long time without sustenance. You cannot.”

“You’ve woken me to tell me I’m going to die. Gee, thanks.”

Nebula doesn’t bat an eyelid.

“I’m sorry,” Tony chokes.

“It is OK to be… moody? That is a word Peter uses often. It is OK to be moody since you are going to die soon.”

Tony intends to laugh, but instead, tears trace a pathway down his face.

“I will do what I can to help you survive.”

Tony nods, but even the short amount of time awake, has taken a lot out of him. He’s tired, and he wants to sleep, even if he’ll never wake again.

“Sleep,” Nebula encourages, “I will do my best to close the wound, and if you are not conscious, the torment will be less.”

He closes his eyes again, sagging into the seat.

 

_Day 5_

 

“I feared you were dead.”

Tony groans, the pain still prominent on his stomach, though it’s a different pain now. Still searing, but where it was a ball of constant agony before, there’s some aching, the kind that comes with healing.

“What happened?” Tony tries to say, though, to his ears, it sounds garbled.

“I have done what I can to close your wound, but it is growing infected. You need more than what I have to offer.”

“What happened to the ship, I mean.”

Nebula’s mouth thins, and she scowls at him.

“Look, my life is only going to last as long as this ship does. If we never make it home, then maybe we have a chance, but the basic necessities, food, water – dammit, even the _air,_ are going to run out, right?”

“Yes.”

“If we don’t resolve that sooner rather than later then I’ll die either way.”

Nebula nods and Tony shakes off the last of his fatigue. His body rebels as he comes to his feet, but Nebula steadies him.

“Let’s see what the damage is.”

 

_Day 12_

 

They’d done everything they could to juice up the ship, and they’d managed to get it floating in the right direction. The power lasted for a few hours, but try and Tony might, he wasn’t able to get confirmation that the distress signal he sent homemade contact with the necessary people.

Tony had calculated the exact amount of time they had until all resources would run out, and Tony would inevitably die. Nebula had longer, though he didn’t know enough to get a good idea of it. He didn’t really want to ask her such invasive questions either, so he only has a countdown on his own life. Which is morbid enough for him.

Tony makes a habit of planning mundane things, things that seem further away than ever before. Stupid plans, like the food he’ll learn to cook, and how he’ll start to make his bed every morning. Programs like what he’s going to do when he finished college, what he’s going to say if he ever has to talk to his parents again. It’s all stupid, and the longer he’s there, the more unrealistic it seems that he’ll ever get the chance to act upon them.

 

_Day 20_

 

Tony is rapidly losing weight, lamenting the loss of Loki’s cornucopia, growing steadily depressed and the lack of hope and trying to pretend to be totally fine because Nebula keeps trying to keep his spirits up. He can’t blame her for it. She can’t be any better off than he is, but Tony just can’t find the energy to care.

His injury isn’t getting better, and the discolouration around the edges and bouts of vomiting suggest that it’s only getting worse. He’s trying not to focus on that too much, but he’s rapidly losing things to focus on.

 

_Day 35_

 

Tony teaches Nebula stupid games that he used to play with Jarvis when he was a kid. They play paper football, eye-spy and hangman, though the latter doesn’t go down well. Apparently speaking the language through the universal translator does _not_ mean she can spell in English, and she grows frustrated very quickly. Frustrated Nebula is scary. Tony doesn’t like that.

Tony tries to imagine what his insides look like. He visualises darkness emanating from the stab wound, slowly creeping outwards, as though painting the rest of his body with the sickness. He tells Nebula about it one night when the pain and hunger make him hallucinate. She suggests he sleeps for a little longer than usual.

Tony can’t.

 

_Day 40_

 

Tony has all but given up. The food is gone. The water will last them another day if they’re careful. The air, another two days. Tony has tried to teach Nebula meditation, explaining that it could help them, but every time they tried, she grew angry, and so Tony gave up.

The next day, his stomach growling in pain and his headlight from the lack of air, he tries one last time to send a message home.

“I don’t know where we are, except in space. We’ve pretty much run out of everything. Food’s gone, the water’s gone, air – I don’t think it’s going to see us through tomorrow. This is it, I guess. Our end. When this started, I was scared. Far more scared than I care to admit, but now I think I’ve just accepted it? I’m not ready to die, exactly, but I understand it’s inevitable. I’ve no way to stop it. It’s a shame. I had expected to be allowed to drink legally at one point.

“But this whole ride? The journey of us, the Avengers, Rhodey, Pepper, everyone, it’s been great, even when it hasn’t been. But part of the journey is the end. This is my end, so I guess I should be grateful for what I had. So, thanks?

“I hope my death doesn’t hit any of you too hard. I get it. I’m great. But don’t get moody about it or anything. I’m talking to you, Clint. Jarvis, Ana, I love you both more than I ever did my real family. You’ve always been there for me, and I know you feel guilty for not stopping Dad from doing what he did. Don’t feel bad, though, OK? It’s not on you. If you’d tried, he would have fired you, and I’d have been alone. I love you both. I’m sorry I can’t hug you, goodbye.

“Finally, I’m sorry I couldn’t stop Thanos. I tried. I did my best. But I failed. I only got a drop of blood, and in return, he took half the living beings in existence. In a way, I’ll just be another victim of the snap. Don’t mourn me. Just try to fix things. Please.”

With nothing left to say, Tony switches off the microphones. He curls up in the corner and sleeps with Quill's jacket thrown over him. It’s not comfortable, but it’s a release from the dark days and depressing nights.

 

Clint is staring out at the dark night sky when he hears shouting. They’ve been back at the compound for over a month, orchestrating a successful effort to save those made vulnerable by the snap. The clean-up has already begun, and the Reddit call for help paid off and then some. Those with access to vehicles would check the more remote areas of their countries, saving those who have no idea what’s going on.

It’s been stressful, and there have been moments of high tension when they all struggle to come to terms with what they’ve lost. No one is judging the others for when the pain becomes too much to handle. Steve, having only recently been reunited Bucky, is taking it the hardest.

Rhodey had been flitting in and out of the compound, liaising with the military and helping the relief efforts. He never kept in touch, and they never knew where he was going, but he made it clear that the only reason he’d be back at the compound again was if they found Tony.

Thor has been taking the loss the hardest. He’s kept to himself since they returned from Wakanda, not speaking to anyone but the racoon – Rocket, Clint reminds himself – and silently fuming. He wants to enact revenge upon Thanos, and his perceived failures have been eating him up. Nothing any of them say affects him. He’s in self-imposed exile, it seems until something comes along to pull him out of it.

Clint jumps up from his seat and practically flies over to the lounge area. Bruce and Nat have been spending a lot of time in there, trying to find who survived and organise more relief efforts. Clint has flitted in and out, but it was evident from the beginning that he wasn’t much of an asset to their plans. He didn’t take it too hard. He mainly kept up the Avengers internet presence, talking to the leaders of the groups across the world.

Things got interesting a few days ago when a blonde lady showed up, demanding to see Fury. Clint appreciated how badass she was, but he was also a little intimidated. If that made him a little rude, then so be it. Sue him. She’s overpowered and could tear him limb from limb without misplacing a strand of hair.

“We’ve got a signal!” Steve cries. “Its… Bruce, is that what I think it is?”

Clint is leaning against the conference table, trying to see whatever is on the hologram that has them excited. Even Carol seems intrigued.

“It is,” Bruce breathes, his eyes lighting up. “It’s a message from Tony.”

Clint sits down heavily, relief flooding his system as the implications come to him. Tony is alive. He’s contacted them. They can _find_ him.

As he listens to the recording, his heart coils. Tony doesn’t know what happened to Jarvis and Ana, and telling him is going to be difficult. He knows he should be thinking about getting Tony back after him being MIA for so long, and he _needs_ to know that Tony is OK after having a direct altercation with Thanos himself – how exactly does such a small kid attract such big problems? – but he can’t stop imagining how the news will break him.

“I will follow the signal, I will bring him back.”

Carol says nothing more and simply takes off and flies away. Clint watches her for as long as he can, and then he turns to the others.

“We need to be ready for when they get here. He’ll need medical attention for sure.”

“On it,” Bruce calls, running to one of the medical rooms.

“He’ll need plenty of food and water too,” Clint continues.

Steve nods and walks out.

“What should I do?” Nat asks.

Clint stares at her. She never asks for guidance, but from the desperation in her eyes, Clint knows that she needs a friend. She needs something.

“Let’s give him something worth coming back to,” Clint tells her.

 

_Day 41_

 

Tony feels the life draining out of him, even in sleep. He hasn’t slept deeply in a long time, barely managing a few hours here and there. He’s either woken by pain, panic, or yearning to go home and be with his weird little family. He’d been scared, obviously, that they’d all be gone by the time he made it back, but now, he guesses, that’s not a worry anymore. He’ll be gone before he has to suffer that grief.

“Tony.”

The nebula is trying to wake him, but he knows there’s nothing left of him to wake.

“Tony, we’re being rescued.”

That sounds important enough to try and wake up for, but everything is too heavy, too weak. He can’t even breathe properly anymore, and when he feels arms lifting him, he remains limp.

“Is he alive?” comes a new voice.

“Barely.”

“I will fly you home. Strap in.”

Tony is moved, and he dips in and out of being barely alive. He’s not sure if he does just outright die in the moments, it’s hard to tell, but he does recognise the ship moving.

 

“TONY!”

Tony jolts awake, fresh air invading his lungs, sharp and beautiful. His eyes flicker open as the door to the ship opens. He panics, knowing that they’ll be sucked out into space if they don’t close it quickly, but the arms he’s gathered in hold him tight, refusing to allow him to close it. It’s then that he realises they’re no longer in space. In fact, the people outside look suspiciously like his friends.

“We’re on your home planet,” Nebula tells him.

“Cool,” Tony breathes, before promptly passing out.

 

Clint is the first to rush forward. He watches with panic as Tony, who had barely gained a hint of life falls limp in the blue lady’s arms. She seems immediately uncomfortable with the proximity to another lifeform, but Clint speedily explains that Tony is a member of their team, and they have the medical ability to save him.

The instant Tony is in his arms, safe and alive, if maybe a little beaten around the edges, Clint runs towards the entrance, heading down the medical bay Bruce has prepped. The blue lady ignores demands from the team to announce herself, and she tears past them and follows Clint inside. Figures, even in space the little troublemaker would find a following.

“I must know that he survives,” she says.

Clint nods his understanding but doesn’t halt in his rush to get Tony to Bruce.

“Lay him down,” Bruce orders.

Clint gently puts Tony on top of the linen covered bed and then helps Bruce to take off his clothes. He’s filthy, both from the battle and the month following it. Clint has to contribute to clean his prone body while Bruce investigates every injury he’s sustained.

“What happened?” Bruce asks, more himself than to anyone else.

“Thanos stabbed him.”

Clint chokes in shock, staring at the damage. It looks infected, but Clint prays that it’s not.

“It’s infected,” Bruce says softly. “This isn’t good.”

“Can you save him?” the blue lady asks.

“I will do my best.”

 

~

 

Hours pass as Bruce works on Tony, doing everything he can save his life. He’s had to open him back up to remove what infected tissue he can, while also running a blood transfusion, because the infection is spreading, and the blood is carrying it.

With no way to help, Clint, Nat, and Steve sit outside the medical room. Steve had at one point suggested they use his blood, which would promote the healing, but Bruce had explained that he didn’t share Tony’s blood type. He also didn’t think it would work.

Nebula and the racoon, it turned out, knew each other. Clint didn’t know what the chances were that two space creatures happened to be familiar with each other, but after Nebula was kicked out of the infirmary, she had seen Rocket and explained that none of his team had survived. Rocket, unsurprisingly, had been devastated by the news, though he managed to throw out a few insults about someone called Quill before falling into a silence that Nebula joined him in.

Carol had stayed too, but she was searching for Fury. She promised to get in touch if she found him, but Clint knew she wouldn’t. If Fury were still among those who didn’t get ‘dusted’ he’d be at their side in an instant. However, Carol wanted to find out for herself, and he respects that.

 

~

 

Tony groans. He’s in pain again, and it’s almost as bad as the first time he was stabbed. In fact, in a lot of ways its worse, because he’d not expected to feel it again. He’d not expected to feel anything again, for that matter.

“Tony?”

Tony groans again, not sure if he has it in him to respond appropriately. Suddenly, there’s a hand on his shoulder, squeezing just shy of too tightly.

“Buddy, come on, open your eyes.”

Tony tries, as, after several failed attempts, he’s finally able to see Clint, who looks ecstatic.

“Clint?”

“Yeah, man. It’s me! You’re alive!”

“I shouldn’t be,” Tony replies quickly. “I-I was dead. I was _super_ dead. The ship, oh _god,_ the ship ran out of air and-and we had no food, and my injury was infected, Clint! I was dying! How is this possible?”

Clint looks lost, clearly unsure how to answer.

“Who survived the snap?”

Clint blinks at the sudden subject change, and then uneasy.

“From the team? Me, Nat, Steve, Thor, and Bruce.”

Tony nods, looking slightly relieved, but then he pulls his eyebrows in.

“Bucky?”

Clint shakes his head.

“Rhodey?”

“Rhodey survived,” Clint assures.

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I should probably find out. He’ll want to know I’m home safe.”

“Yeah, we’ll figure out how to contact him for you.”

“And Jarvis? Ana? Where are they?”

“Oh, Tony.”

Tony doesn’t understand Clint’s reaction. If he could openly say that Bucky was dusted, surely he can say the same about Jarvis and Ana.

Without meaning to, Tony finds himself steadfastly believing that there is no reason that they _would_ be able to save everyone taken by Thanos. It’s almost a solid belief, more like logic and fact that hopeful wishing.

“Tony, they were killed.”

“I understand. Lots of people died. But we’ll get them back.”

“No, Tony. I mean, they were killed before the snap. They were in a car accident. They died on the scene.”

Tony wants to call him a liar, to accuse him of playing some sick prank, but Clint has a look about him that suggests he's serious. Tony doesn’t know what to do with that. He doesn’t know what to think. How is he supposed to react to that?

“I’m so sorry, Tony. I’m so, so sorry.”

Tony doesn’t cry.

“We have to find a plan to kill Thanos,” Tony says with anger. “His daughter ought to know where he’s gone.”

“His _daughter?_ ”

“Yeah. Nebula.”

Clint bolts out of the room, leaving Tony alone to ruminate over the fact that the only people who have loved him the entire time he’s been alive are gone. And not temporarily gone, like Bucky, Peter, Strange and the guardians. Forever gone. It brings a hard lump of emotion to his throat, but he can’t cry. He needs to be productive. He needs to solve the problem. He can cry later.

He can cry when he’s saved everyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep changing how many chapters there's going to be! I have no idea how to end this damn fic!  
> I just know I won't be doing an Endgame. I also won't be doing the 'five-year gap'. It'll be of my own construction, and probably how I imagined it happening.  
> Sorry for the long waits.  
> I'm a teacher and it's exam season.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

 

Tony sits at the big table with the team, Rocket and Nebula. Carol hasn’t come back yet, but Tony knows that if Fury were alive, he’d willingly come to stand at their side. Fury, while Tony thinks he can be an arse sometimes, is still a man willing to do what he can to protect not just his country, but the world too.

“We need to think of something,” Tony opines. “There has to be a way to fix this. Fix everything.”

“We’re looking into options,” Bruce says, as he hovers over Tony worriedly.

“Yeah, but nothing is coming of it right now,” Clint admits. “We’re fish out of water here.”

“Nothing is beyond us,” Tony argues. “We’re smart people. We just need to do smart things.”

“Speak for yourself,” Clint grumbles.

Tony shifts in his seat. He doesn’t have the energy to bring Clint’s self-esteem up a few notches. He can do that once Bruce has quit being a helicopter parent and Steve starts speaking to them again. Things have grown tense, pushing them apart, and Tony doesn’t know what to do about it. They’re the only real family he has left, and if this disaster drives them so far apart that they can’t reconcile with each other, then Tony isn’t sure what he’s going to do.

“We must find a solution and soon,” Thor booms. “I have lost more than I could ever imagine, and I will not allow our uselessness to devour any chance we have of fixing these problems.”

Thor seems furious, but it doesn’t stop Tony from jumping up and racing after him when Thor stomps towards the exit.

“Don’t go!” Tony cries out.

“Anthony, dear child, I must. I have to bring Thanos down, and I cannot do that on Midgard.”

Thor swings his hammer and flies upwards, missing Tony’s hands that try to grab him and leaving Tony to fall to the ground. Tony feels his stiches rip open, and a second later Bruce is at his side, helping him to sit up. Blood begins to seep through his shirt, but Tony doesn’t even register the pain.

This is the beginning, Tony thinks mournfully. They’re starting to split, and their team is fracturing in the worst possible way. He can’t help but break a little inside, knowing that sooner rather than later he’s going to be left on his own again.

“Come on, Tony, we need to sort this out,” Bruce says, gently lifting Tony from the floor as though he weighs nothing.

“But… _Thor,_ ” Tony almost cries out.

Steve comes to their side and takes Tony into his own arms. Tony doesn’t fight it, knowing that he’s got nothing on Steve’s strength, but it’s painful to accept just how useless he is. There’s nothing he can do to stop this, nothing he can do to force them to stay together. They aren’t machines that he can just weld. They’re people, each as unpredictable as the next.

“Don’t fall asleep, Tony,” Bruce begs.

Steve remains silent, but his own face is paling. Tony didn’t even realize he was drifting until Bruce spoke, but now he recognizes that he’s utterly drained. It’s beyond exhaustion, and he recognizes in the back of his mind that he’s bleeding a whole lot more than he really should be. Maybe it’s the stress, or maybe he underestimated just how quick he’d be able to heal.

He blinks and his eyes stay shut longer that they should have. When he opens them again, he’s already in Med bay, and Bruce is pumping him with drugs to keep the pain away as he quickly sews the wound shut again.

Tony isn’t sure how much of the ache he can feel is simply emotional, or from the re-opened injury, but he’s feeling too tired to analyse that. Plus, Bruce is trying to talk to him. Tony can’t hear a word of it, but he’s sure that it’s important, whatever it is.

Steve is stood in the corner, still silent, with his arms crossed and his face serious. Is Steve going to be like that for the rest of his life? Has he lost the confidence to lead the team? Because that’s not going to do anything but set them back, and Tony wants to bark at him to pull himself together, but he can’t seem to form words.

“Don’t try to speak, Tony,” Bruce advises, as he cuts the thread. “You need rest.”

Tony wants to ask why he’s allowed to sleep now when he wasn’t earlier, but he falls asleep before another word passes his lips.

 

Tony wakes again to an empty room. Even though there are no outward signs that anything is wrong, Tony has a prickling feeling that something has gone awry in however long he’s been unconscious for. He feels a little dizzy as he leaves his bed, but he pushes it aside for now. He quickly inspects the damage and finds that he’s stopped bleeding.

He pads out of the room on bare feet and makes his way over to the conference room. No one is there, and there’s a fine film of dust on the large, wooden table. A twisting feeling in his gut sends tremors through his body, and he bites his lip anxiously.

“Hello?”

His voice echoes through the empty hallways and he follows the sound and the walls grow increasingly damaged. In some places, fires burn away unattended, in others, pools of blood slosh against furniture, like miniature macabre tidal waves.

“Hello?” Tony tries again with a shaky voice.

Nothing. The entire place is empty, and there’s no one around. They’ve left him.

 

A loud beeping ushers Tony out of his nightmare, and he sits up in a panic. The room is empty, and he starts to panic that his dream wasn’t a dream at all, but he can hear voices nearby. Tony checks the damage and finds the bandaged soaked with browning blood.

Tony frowns, wondering how long he was asleep for and questioning why Bruce hadn’t changed it yet. Not that he wants to seem ungrateful, but normally Bruce is mothering-henning him so hard that there’s no way he could go longer than an hour with a dirtied bandage. This one is obviously a few hours old.

Tony turns off the machines and carefully removes the heart monitor and the morphine IV. He sidles over to the supplies and changes the bandage himself, and then pulls on some sweats that heave been left on the side, along with a large T-Shirt that makes him look tiny. Seriously, did this shirt belong to the Hulk?

He leaves the room and starts to head towards the conference rooms, the voices getting louder but undeniably hushed.

“He’s not going to handle it well, Tash, and we can’t just _all_ leave. We’ll be spreading ourselves so thin that we won’t be able to withstand an attack.”

Bruce sounds desperate.

“With Clint and Thor gone, and Steve out of commission, I’m not entirely sure that we have other options. I need to find others. There are more people out there with the skillset to help, and if we don’t even attempt to broaden our team, what hope do we have?”

“But—”

“I’m sorry, Bruce, but I have to go.”

Tony has never heard Nat sound so _un_ calm. It’s unnerving, and he steps into the room, looking from Bruce to Nat.

“Tony!” Bruce exclaims, standing up from the chair but making no move to get closer.

“What’s happening? Where is Clint?”

“He left,” Nat says without pause. “And Steve won’t leave his room, and when he does, he won’t speak.”

Tony moves towards the chair and slumps in it and stares at the table. This is exactly what he feared would happen, and he’s not sure what he can do about it, if he can do anything at all. Bruce moves to sit at Tony’s side and places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“We can still figure this out,” he promises.

“Yeah? Us and what army.”

“Leave that to me,” Nat says,

“Promise me you’ll stay in touch, no matter what,” Bruce demands fiercely.

Nat nods, and then she simply just walks away. Tony stares after her, and then slides further down in his chair.

“Things will be OK,” Bruce promises.

“How could you possibly know that?” Tony snaps. “Half the universe is gone, our team is falling apart, and you think things will be OK? Things haven’t been OK for months now, and they’re progressively getting worse. You can’t honestly tell me that things will be OK with a straight face, man.”

Bruce doesn’t say anything, and Tony can’t find the energy to feel guilty, even though he knows he should.

With Loki dead, Carol MIA, Clint running away, Steve relinquishing his leadership on the team and Nat going AWOL, Tony can’t even muster up an inch of hope for a better future. How exactly can he believe there is anything better than the worst if he has no way to put plans in place?

Bruce says nothing as Tony stands up and leaves the room. He doesn’t want to go back to the Med Bay, because there’s no way he can be useful there, no matter how much pain he’s in.

So, he heads to the lab and starts to pull up several holographic projections and begins to plan for two monumental mechanical marvels.

 

Tony doesn’t come out of the lab for four weeks. Bruce shows up three times a day without fail, bringing food, drink and to check on the wound to ensure its healing properly. His attempts to usher Tony to be have a success rate of 16.33% and Bruce seems to grow more frantic with each failed mission.

“You need to _sleep,_ Tony,” he urges.

But, as they all have, his words fall on deaf ears.

Tony’s projects are growing faster than he ever thought possible. Between the absence of half the Avengers, the depression of one quarter and the pained parenting attempts of the last, Tony has more time and less people harassing him than he’s experienced in years.

Sure, he’s tired and growing weak from fatigue, but he’s really getting somewhere. The first major reward for this hard work comes at two am four and a half weeks after Clint and Nat left.

“Hello, Sir.”

Tony isn’t ashamed to admit that he wept with pride and sobbed with grief the instant he heard Jarvis’ voice.

Obviously, it’s not the real Jarvis, but using ample video footage and countless hours of recorded phone conversations from Tony’s boarding school days, Tony has spliced and fixed together a complete sound board for New Jarvis to borrow his vocals from.

“Hello, Jarvis,” he whispers reverently. 

Tony and Jarvis spend the next few hours talking, and when Bruce comes down to bring Tony his breakfast, he finds the boy sleeping with his head on the desk and the voice of his deceased butler reading a story about knights and dragons.

Bruce isn’t the strongest avenger, the honour goes to The Hulk, but he’s strong enough to lift the too-light boy and lay him on a cot in the corner of the workshop. He covers Tony with a threadbare blanket and then curiously wonders why Tony would have created a story reading program.

“Hello, Dr Banner.”

Bruce almost jumps out of his skin.

“H-hello?”

“I am Tony Stark’s A.I.”

 _Ah_ , Bruce thinks. This is what he’s been working on all this time. No wonder he’s been so preoccupied.

 

Tony sleeps for a long time and doesn’t dream at all. When he wakes, he’s refreshed, and under the gentle judging of his new A.I., Tony takes a shower and eats a real meal before jumping back into the Nano technology.

With Jarvis as his lab assistant, Tony finds himself able to work at a much faster pace than before, and he’s almost beside himself with joy when he’s finally able to test out the nanobots.

First, he has them forming different shapes, but within a few hours he’s programmed them to wrap around him and assume the form of his armour.

“Let’s put this to the side for now,” Tony murmurs. “For now, we need to find Thanos.”

“I can help with that.”

Tony squeaks in a very manly manner and trips over his feet very elegantly as he twists to find Nebula stood by the doorway. At her side is the raccoon, Rocket, and they both have their arms crossed over their chest.

In all honesty, Tony had kind of assumed the two would have left the compound to have searched for greener pastures, but he can’t quite comprehend just how happy he is that they didn’t leave too.

“You know where he is?”

“I have suspicions. He always spoke about where he would go if he were to be successful.”

“You’re telling me the mad titan has a retirement plan?” Tony asks sceptically.

“You doubt me?”

Tony knows Nebula enough to hear the undercurrent of anger in her voice, although she might be trying to hide it. Judging by the slight wince that Rocket gives, he hears it too.

“I’m just surprised,” Tony shrugs calmly.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Rocket begs. “I want my team back.”

Tony nods.

“What do we need?”

 

Nebula and Rocket fix up the ship that sits outside the compound while Tony starts collecting provisions. Using Jarvis’ help, Tony is able to ensure that the suit will hold up in space. He packs one of the older versions into a suitcase. Best be over prepared that woefully lacking.

Bruce comes down at one point, and tells Tony that they’ve completely lost touch with Nat. Tony, while saddened, isn’t entirely surprised. People leave, that’s a given now. He’s surprised that Bruce is still stood by his side, even though Tony knows he’s been treating the man unfairly.

“Sorry I’ve been such a brat,” Tony whispers as Bruce makes his leave.

Bruce freezes in the doorway and then rushes back and pulls Tony into a tight hug.

“Things are rough right now, Tones. No one could blame you for being a little distant. I understand, I just wish you’d let me help you with whatever you’re doing here.”

“I was just making Jarvis.”

Ok, sue him. Tony feels incredible guilt for lying, but if he brings Bruce in on this, the man will very likely stop him from doing what Tony knows he needs to do. The more people he allows to come along, the higher the potential body count, and he doesn’t want to risk that.

“OK. Please get some more sleep, Tony.”

Tony nods into Bruce’s shoulder and then makes a show of taking a bite from the sandwich he was brought. Bruce smiles approvingly and leave Tony to his own devices.

 

Three hours later, Tony has finished drafting his letter to Bruce explaining what he’s doing and what to do in the event of his death. He feels awful doing this to the one person who stayed behind. He adds a note on the end for Steve, telling him that Thanos wasn’t his fault, because he hates the idea of Steve hanging around feeling guilty for what happened and thinking he’s on his own in his trauma.

With that done, his suits packed and other provisions ready, Tony makes his way onto the ship where Rocket and Nebula are waiting for him. He straps in, trying not to think about the last time he was on this ship, embracing death and thinking he would never see his friends again.

“Ready, squirt?” Rocket asks with a sharp-toothed smile.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Nebula and Rocket share the controls, and within ten minutes of storing the stuff Tony brought, the ship is rumbling. In the distance, from the entrance of the compound, Tony can see Steve and Bruce running out of the door and towards the ship. They don’t manage to get close enough though, and before they even have the chance to shout his name, the ship is off and hurtling towards space.

 

“There’s no one there but Thanos,” Nebula promises after scanning the planet.

“Why?”

“His arrogance, perhaps?”

The ship lands in what looks like a typical farmland. Tony can see an awful scarecrow in the distance wearing what seems to be the armour Thanos was wearing during their battle on titan.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Tony grimaces.

They steadily make their way towards the hut in the distance. From the chimney there seems to be smoke, and there are obvious attempts at growing flowers around the border of the house. It’s sickeningly domestic, and Tony feels his hatred grow for the man with every thud of his heart. How dare this monster live happily while lives lay in tatters as a direct result of his villainy. How _dare_ he attempt anything resembling peace when he’s left worlds across the universe in utter chaos. How dare he live when he’s killed so many.

Tony knows that he won’t be leaving this planet until Thanos is dead.

“You have found me.”

Tony freezes as he watches Thanos lumber onto the porch of his hut. He looks at the three of them with something resembling pity in his eyes.

“Screw you, you purple prick,” Tony hisses.

“What the kid said,” Rocket agrees.

Thanos smiles, and it’s a gruesome picture. It sets Tony’s blood to boil, and he automatically steps into a defensive position as the armour crawls over him, covering him head to toe.

“You pray for death, Anthony Stark, I can smell it on you. Fortunately, you have come to the right place.”

“You do this for Death,” Nebula amends. “Tell me, has she come to you and kneeled at your feet yet, _father_?”

She says ‘father’ like a dirty word, and hatred radiates off of her. Thanos seems to be unbothered by this, and he steps towards them. Nebula and Rocket pull weapons from their bodies and aim them at the man.

“You cannot win,” Thanos tells them gently. “I am the most powerful being in the universe. I own time, space, souls, minds, power, and reality. You think three _children_ can change that.”

“You underestimate us,” Nebula says with a growl.

“I doubt that very much.”

Tony’s mind is whirring back to an earlier part of the conversation, as if his brain is just catching up with the words they’ve spoken.

“You did this for Death? As in, Death, the _person_?”

“Father believes she will love him for the sacrifices he has made,” Nebula explains scornfully. “What he fails to understand is that Death is incapable of love, and that he is incapable of anything other mistakes.”

“You are the perfect example of mistakes I never intend to remake.”

Nebula bristles, and Thanos grins at his success.

“Death will come to me any day now,” he says confidently. “Three more lives will mean very little to her, but I will offer them anyway.”

Thanos takes another step forward, but Tony puts a hand up.

“You gave death half of the universe, and she _still_ hasn’t come to say anything?”

Tony doesn’t wait for a response, though Thanos appears ready to offer one.

“I mean, it’s been almost two months. She’s ghosting you hard.”

Thanos’ face twists in confusion and anger, and Tony allows that to bolster him.

“I mean, that’s like buying your crush a billion dollar house and expecting to be asked on a date three years later. Do they not do not-so-subtle hints in space, or are you just a dumbass?”

Rocket snickers.

“Surely the best way to get her attention would be to _take_ rather than to _give_?”

Tony does not actually advocate for such behaviours, and he feels bad for using Death like this (he can’t just assume that her job title means she’s evil) but he can see that it’s affecting Thanos enough to keep going.

“Wouldn’t she be more inclined to notice you if you were to take back all those lives you gave her?”

Thanos’ left eye twitches, and Tony knows he’s onto something. He’s at least making Thanos doubt himself, and that’s never a bad thing.

“Just a click of your fingers,” Tony taunts. “A simple snap and then you can have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

The gauntlet appears on his fist from nowhere, and Tony stumbles back. Thanos lifts his hand and clicks his fingers, but instead of people coming back, Nebula and Rocket crumble into ashes.

 

Bruce is _frantic._ He heard the sound of the ship rumbling to life from the conference room, and he’d immediately run to Tony’s lab. Steve had beaten him there and was staring at a note on the table.

“He’s going after Thanos.”

Bruce didn’t have time to focus on the fact that those were Steve’s first words since coming back from Wakanda. He didn’t have the sense to think about anything other than their teenage teammate going into space to battle a titan who had murdered half the universe.

Bruce runs outside just in time to watch the ship take off and head into the inky blackness above. He can’t do anything beyond that but simply stare and wonder what the _hell_ he’s supposed to do now.

Bruce probably shouldn’t have, but he felt like he needed to step up and help Tony to work through his many problems. Aside from the boy being injured, he’d also lost two people he loved dearly, been abused for years by one parent, ignored by the other, and then fought someone older than _Thor_ and lost. Despite being a hero and a genius, Tony is still a child and needs to be looked after, even if he actively refuses any help directed towards him. It’s not a shock, really. It should be expected. The boy has suffered at the hands of the people that were supposed to care the most, and he’s not really had the right amount of time to adjust to new paradigms, ones in which someone could care about him without wanting anything in return.

“We need to call the team,” Bruce says.

Steve nods and follows Bruce back inside.

“We don’t have a way to contact most of them, especially Carol, but maybe if we send out a distress signal, we can get them to come back.”

Bruce starts to type away on the computer, and then leaves a message on Reddit in case Clint is still browsing that particular website.

It takes a matter of minutes for Clint to respond. It takes another four hours for him to return to the compound. Bruce doesn’t ask, but he can see there’s a darkness there that wasn’t there before. Along with a costume change and a sword, which Bruce doesn’t comment on, there is a strong sense of guilt surrounding the man.

“I shouldn’t have left.”

“No, you shouldn’t have, but you came back and that’s what matters now.”

Bruce doesn’t insult the man by absolving him of leaving, but they’re not going to be very productive if they allow him to wallow.

Natasha is the next to come back, since Clint and she have a secret method of communication. She responds fifteen minutes later and returns the next day with two people in tow. One of them in Ant-man who she found in a locked storage locker with a malfunctioning suit and the other is a boy called Harley Keener. Apparently, the kid was a huge fan of Ironman and had managed to build a replica suit, only with the unusual addition of a potato gun.

“We’re running low on options,” she shrugs by way of introduction.

Rhodey, who has been trying to liaise with what’s left of the military and the Avengers comes back full time to aide in searching for his friend. Thor and Carol return at the time same, both claiming they were unable to find anyone else to assist them.

“How do we know where Anthony has gone?” Carol asks.

“We have the energy signature from the ship. We can trace it.”

Bruce starts to work away at the computer, and Harley Keener offers his assistance, promising that he knows what he’s doing.

“Before all this stuff happened, I was set to be taking three scholarships to MIT and am the reigning champion for robots and computer engineering in Tennessee,” he explains.

“Impressive.”

“I know.”

Bruce can’t wait for the two of them to meet. They’re going to get along swimmingly.

 

Tony gasps for breath, sweat trickling down his back as he tries to race away from the visions that Thanos is plaguing him with. He’s seeing the worst things and contortions of the best things. He tries to remind himself that it’s not real, tries to keep his mind thinking logically, but he’s failing. He can’t cope. He can’t stop crying out when his fathers’ hand comes down on him with enough force to leave a bruise. Can’t stop himself falling backwards when his mother turns away from him with a scowl. Can’t stop freezing when he sees the dead bodies of Edwin and Ana Jarvis.

“You can’t win against me, boy,” Thanos laughs. “You are weak, you are pathetic, and you will fail.”

Tony feels a hand wrap around his throat, and he knows that this, _this_ is his opportunity.

He orders the nanobots to leave him, and they begin to crawl up Thanos’s arm.

“What are you doing?”

Tony stays quiet, urging the bots to do the work he programmed them to do. Slowly, the vision Thanos manifested falls away and Tony falls to the ground as he watches Thanos try to bat away the millions of bots that are burrowing under his skin.

Thanos roars. The ground shakes. Tony pushes himself as far back as possible, a sense of sick morbid curiosity washing over him as Thanos crashes to the ground, bleeding for every orifice. He stares unrepentantly at the body in front of him, once a powerful being and now reduced to an empty shell. The nanobots have done more than they needed to, so Tony is left staring at the reality stone on the lifeless body.

He steps forward and pulls it off. From within the body the nanobots crawl back over Tony, each using their self-cleaning program to shed themselves of all blood. Tony still feels dirty, but he knows that if he has any hope of being successful, he needs to have the suit to protect him.

With the gauntlet on his hand, the nanobots pools underneath so that it fits, Tony prepares to snap his fingers, knowing very well that he might not survive. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes and _snaps._


	28. Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the end. Congratulations for sticking around this long!

Final

Steve is standing in the conference room with Clint, Natasha, and Bruce at his side when _something_ shifts. It’s not immediately obvious what it is, but they all feel it, they all feel the change and shiver. Steve searches, wondering if there is a discernible sign of what has happened, but there appears to be nothing.

Then Steve hears noises. Noises that weren’t there before. Even this far away from the epicentre of activity, Steve can hear the life flowing back through the streets, the cries of shock, happiness, _relief._

And then, Nat’s phone that is sat on the table begins to ring, and it’s Bucky’s name that pops up. Steve holds his breath, eyes carefully watching Nat’s every movement. It hurts, the possibilities, and he’s not even sure what he’s expecting.

“Hello?”

Nat’s face, which had a second ago been tense and hard, melts and she immediately hands the phone over. Steve took it with shaky hands, too scared to hope for anything except disappointment.

“Heya, punk.”

Steve falls into the nearest chair and sobs. One shaky hand keeps the phone to his ear, and the other covers his eyes. Visceral relief floods through him. He never thought he’d hear that voice again, and it’s such an amazing moment that he struggles to speak. No one judges him, but Bucky does begin apologising for his absence, though, and Steve is quick to shut him down.

“T’Challa says it’s been _months_ ,” Bucky says. “That’s… I didn’t even realise. I’m so sorry, pal.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Buck, you did nothing wrong. Just… come home, OK?”

“I will. I’ll be bringing some friends, too. Tell Rocket that Groot is here.”

Steve doesn’t mention that Rocket has gone AWOL. He doesn’t explain exactly what has happened in his absence. He definitely doesn’t elude to the fact that Tony is gone, and that they’re not sure they’ll ever get him back. He simply repeats his sentiment, begging Bucky to return as quickly as possible.

Bucky promises to return as quickly as possible, and just as Steve is putting down the phone, hope swelling up inside of him, a portal the size a whales mouth opens up on the other side of the table and six of the strangest people Steve has ever seen in his life steps through.

One of them, a tall man with a goatee and white streaks in his hair, is wearing a red cape and a blue smock. He looks like something from a Disney movie, and Steve is certain that the cape is moving on its own.

The next one is a kid, not much older than Tony himself, and he’s wearing a red and blue set of pyjamas with a spider in the middle. He looks positively fraught with excitement and panic and many other emotions that Steve can’t identify. His eyes flit from one person to another, widening with what Steve thinks is recognition.

Next, there’s what appears to be a woman with antennae, a man bigger than Thor and covered in red veins and finally a man with a strange mask on his face. After stepping into the conference room, the mask goes up just as Natasha’s knife pins him to the wall.

“At ease,” the goatee man says. “We’re here as friends.”

“Who are you?” Natasha demands.

“Uh, Tony’s friends?” the kid says uncertainly.

Nat looks at each person, distrust ripe in her eyes. Steve feels the tension rolling off her in waves, and he steps forward, ready to diffuse the situation if needs be.

Suddenly, Loki appears out of thin air and lifts a hand.

“This is Peter Quill, the man who was caring for Tony while he was in space. Beside him is Drax, another of the guardians. The rest, I don’t know. Kill them or don’t, it matters not.”

“Hey!” the kid argues. “I’m Tony’s friend too!”

Loki shrugs. He turns to Steve.

“Where is my brother?”

Steve has never seen such worry before, but there’s probably a valid reason for it. Loki has been gone as long as the others, and he’s been thrown back in with no idea of what has happened in the meantime.

“He is working with Harley to trace the energy signature of the ship that Tony took.”

“And how is he of any use in that area? Is this not entirely Midgardian technologies?”

“It is,” Bruce admits, “but it’s one way to keep him to the side. He has worried for you tirelessly and blamed himself for the fate of the world.”

 

Bruce feels like everything is happening all at once and at the same time, nothing is happening at all. Everyone is trying to get acquainted with one another, there’s a universal celebration at the return of the dusted, and the life that has been thrown back into the compound is pleasantly suffocating. The kid, Peter Parker had spent several teary minutes talking to his aunt, Stephen had contacted his people in Kathmandu and Quill had demanded to know what happened to Rocket, Nebula and his ‘damn ship’ and where Groot is.

Once Bruce had explained to everyone what was going on, including about an hour breaking it to some of them that they had simply not existed for several months, they were all on the same page and things began to feel a little calmer.

There were still far too many people and it felt too loud at times, but Bruce was sure that they would be able to make headway. Until he realises that there was only one way to fix their current problem. They had to wait. Wait for a sign from Tony, wait for him to return, wait for something.

“I cannot find him,” Loki admits.

Loki had grown frustrated that Tony had been allowed to wander off, and they’d all suffered a ten-minute-long lecture. (‘You just got him back, and you thought it wise to take your eyes off him for a moment?’) Bruce, while he wasn’t sure it was entirely fair, understood Loki’s anger and allowed him to vent.

 

Steve, on the other hand, is growing tired; exhausted beyond just sleeplessness. Listening to Loki point out his flaws isn’t helping either. He always feels guilty – for missing Bucky when they know he’s coming home when so many people don’t have that, for allowing Tony the opportunity to disappear again under his nose, for things he’s not even sure about.

It’s harder to understand and function with all the emotions he’s feeling, but it’s harder when he’s trying to understand why Tony might not be reachable.

“That’s not a good sign, is it?” he asks, dumbly.

“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time that he’s evaded me by hiding his thoughts, so I cannot say whether it is the result of him blocking me, or something else.”

“Something else, meaning he could be… unable to form thoughts,” Steve says uncomfortably.

“What an interesting way to avoid saying the word ‘dead’, Captain,” Loki says with a smile, though it’s far from being amused.

Steve leans back in his chair and stares up at the ceiling, wondering where they went wrong. He knows that it may not be their responsibility to care for Tony, but it kind of is. Howard did not treat his son right, and it hurts Steve to know that his friend had turned into a monster who refused to care and love for his son, but it hurts more to know that Tony suffered through that.

Tony, who’s only wish was to make his dad proud. Tony, who’s life has been put on the line a thousand times over to protect the people of the city, of the country, of the _world._ Tony, who left the care of the people who chose to love him, to bring back half of the universe.  Tony is pure good, and he spent his years being despised by his father for no reason.

Steve cannot muster up a single, logical explanation as to why a man who had everything, whose life was blissfully privileged, would turn into such a monster. His once-bright spirit became mangled and dark and dangerous. He had a beautiful wife whose soul he blackened. He had an amazing son who he abused and turned distrusting. Why? What happened? How did he become a burnt-out shell?

“I will do everything within my power to ensure I can bring Anthony back here.”

With that, Loki leaves. Steve looks at the clock. It’s been four hours since those who were dusted returned, and there are still several more before Bucky will be back on American soil. Steve just takes comfort knowing that he will return eventually.

The noise around him is a cacophony of chaos, and he can’t seem to find a way to get through it all and figure out exactly where his focus needs to be. He can’t waste time waiting for Bucky to return, but he also can’t find where he fits in here. He has no idea where he’s going to be the most helpful.

Thor is standing uselessly over the boy with the curly hair. Steve isn’t sure he remembers his name, but whoever he is, he’s tapping away at the computer keyboard with an ease he’s only seen from Tony. His brows are drawn in concentration, and he appears to be taking his work seriously. That’s good, Steve thinks. Bruce mentioned that he was trying his best to find the ship.

Bruce is working with Peter on some kind of tech that he can’t even begin to fathom. Clint and Natasha are deep in discussion to the side, and Steve knows that even if he inserts himself between them, most of what they say will go over his head. Carol is talking to Rhodey, discussing military tactics about how to recover the world from the shock of losing everyone and having them suddenly return. It’s not about Tony, but Steve knows that it’s important. Stephen Strange is floating mid-air in some kind of trance, and those who came with him, the ‘guardians’ are talking among themselves.

“I’m getting a message from Rocket,” Loki says.

He looks troubled, but before Steve can ask what’s being said, Loki disappears in a flash.

 

Rocket and Nebula pop back into existence. There’s no other way to describe it. The time he spent _not_ in existence is barely registering, but the sudden re-emergence shatters his mind for a second. Rocket’s eardrums ache from the pressure, and he lands on his paws and knees, gasping from shock. The only indicator that he was gone at all is the fact that one second ago, he, Nebula and Tony had been facing off against Thanos, and now Thanos is a deflated purple balloon is the most garish way possible, and Tony is laying mere feet away, eyes closed and not breathing.

“Oh crap,” Rocket mutters, scampering to his side. “Come on kid, don’t be dead, don’t be dead, _don’t be dead_.”

Nebula creeps forward, her mouth tugged down in a frown as she looks between her father and Tony. She kneels down at Rocket’s side and places two fingers on Tony’s neck.

“No signs of life.”

Rocket could _scream_ in frustration. How could the kid be _dead_? They were there a second ago, they were in it together, and now the boy, hardly surpassing the requirements of being a child, is lifeless.

“He killed Thanos,” Nebula says.

“And himself, from the looks of it.”

They both stare at the infinity stones next to the boys covered arm. They glitter with possibilities and malice. Rocket, who has a love of everything shiny and dangerous, finds himself repulsed by the stones.

“What are we supposed to do now?”

Nebula, for all her apparent lack of emotion, seems torn.

“I do not know. Perhaps we take the body back?”

“Or,” Rocket ponders, “we call for help?”

Nebula voices no further opinion, and so Rocket makes the decision for them both, praying that it works.

‘Loki, help.’

He projects as best he can the image of Tony into his mind, praying the message reaches its intended recipient. There’s no way to know if it has, except to wait, but within seconds there’s movement, a shimmering in the air, and Loki steps into existence.

He looks at the three of them, eyes lingering longest on Tony. He steps forward, lifts the boy easily into his arms and demands that Nebula and Rocket return with him. Without waiting for a response, Rocket watches the planet they’re on disappear and be quickly replaced with the conference room from the compound on earth.

For several seconds everyone freezes, turning to face Loki and the newcomers, but everything quickly dissolves into manic activity. Banner demands that they bring Tony into the medical wing and pleads with everyone else to leave them be. Rhodey is the only one to argue and refuse to leave Tony’s side.

Rocket turns and finds his team standing to the side. Groot is still absent, but he tries not to think about that being a permanent thing. If those that were dusted have returned, and he knows they have, then Groot will be at his side again soon.

“What happened?”

Rocket turns to face Steve, the man who had spent the last few months brooding silently in his misery, looks so filled with rage that Rocket feels all of his defensive walls coming back up.

“Hell if I know, man. One minute we’re facing off against Thanos and the next we’re reappearing over their bodies.”

Steve flinches as the words, but Rocket can’t find it in himself to outwardly care.

“He speaks the truth. It appears that Tony used the stones to bring back those Thanos took, and in doing so, he gave his own life.”

“He’s dead?”

This time it’s a kid who speaks. Rocket doesn’t recognise him, but he’s around Tony’s age, and he’s wearing a weird get-up and an openly earnest expression.

“Looks like it.”

Everyone turns to face the door to the medical bay, the walls opaque, but it’s as though they can all see through it.

“Yo, magic man, can’t you fix this?” Quill demands of a dude in a red cape.

“Doing so would undo the work that Tony did,” the man replies.

Rocket can see how everyone is debating this. Debating whether the lives of trillions of people is worth the life of one. He watches how one by one they seem to realise that such a thing is not possible to compare. No matter how much Tony means to the world, his life can never be worth that.

“That’s not fair,” the kid in his PJ’s whispers.

“Nothing’s fair, kid, get used to it.”

And, with that encouraging sentiment, Rocket leaves the room and heads outside. He needs air and space. Needs to be away from the pain and anguish. Needs to be away from it all, because he knows he had a hand in causing it, regardless of how necessary it was.

 

Bruce stares down at Tony with a sense of mixed horror and awe. Here lies a child that went up against the mad titan and won, no matter how you look at it. He may not have _survived,_ but he killed the titan and made it home, dead or alive.

If you put the awe aside, you’re left with a boy that gave his everything, because his life is the last thing he had to give, to save the universe and all you’re left with is a wasted life. A life that never should have been bargained with. A boy, a child so fresh into the world that he hadn’t even manifested his poor upbringing into bitterness yet, no longer existed, except within their memory.

“He’s dead,” Bruce announces, hard as it may be to admit.

Rhodey crumples into himself at the news, folding like a chair into the corner of the room with grief so visceral that Bruce wants life to end there. Loki stands stock still, staring at the body, his eyes hard, but even Bruce can see the pain hidden behind the wall.

As much as Bruce may want to give up, he knows he has to talk to the rest of the team, to tell them the news. He just wishes there were more he could give other than that Tony appeared dead and will continue to be that way.

Stepping out of the med bay, Bruce feels every eye in the compound turn to him, and he feels the weight of the news he bears push at his shoulders. He struggles to look up, to see the people that trusted him to know what he was doing and deliver the news he knows he cannot give.

How many hearts will he be breaking?

“He’s dead.”

The effect is immediate and devastating. Bruce can’t look anyone in the eye.

 

Loki senses movement before he recognises it. He was so sure of the boy’s death that he refused to even allow himself a second a hope; but despite his obvious demise, Tony is not dead. He’s barely alive, but that any life within him exists is a miracle. He is just in dire need of help.

Loki throws himself towards the bed and places his hand across the boy’s chest.

“Come back, Anthony,” Loki begs.

A bright light drowns Loki’s vision, and he sees nothing. It hurts, but he knows to power through, because the possible outcome is far more important than the temporary pain.

“Loki?”

Loki’s body collapses, but he’s caught and lowered to the floor.

“Brother, is thee well?”

A sarcastic remark lines the tip of his tongue, likely borne from his time with Anthony, but Loki allows himself to remain silent. He needs to preserve his energy.

“Loki?”

Even Thor seems stunned into silence, which to Loki is a damned experience, and they all wait, watching as Tony opens his eyes and squint. His every slight movement is drawn out, slow and sluggish.

“Ow.”

Loki is back at his side, wobbly legs be damned, one hand in Tony’s hair and the other feeling his pulse on his wrist.

“He’s alive,” Loki whispers.

“He’s alive!” Thor thunders.

“Ow,” Tony complains, glaring at Thor. “My eardrums aren’t happy with you.”

The room quickly fills, and Tony seems to come to his senses slowly. Bruce is shaken and pale but grinning with unrepentant joy as he checks Tony over. He checks and double-checks that he truly has a pulse, and then he shines a light in his eyes, which are as slow to respond as Tony is.

“I think you have a concussion,” Bruce says. “How do you feel?”

Tony meets his eyes slowly, and there’s a startling lack of comprehension.

“Tired,” Tony whines. “Super tired. And dizzy.”

Bruce nods and begins pottering around the bed, moving heroes and bystanders alike to the side. Bruce knows that any attempts to ask them to leave will result in an uproar. He puts Tony on an IV line and ensures that the heart monitor will help him spot any irregularities.

“I think… I think I killed him,” Tony mumbles, looking exhausted.

“You did, kid. Not sure how, but you did.”

Tony’s head flops to the side and he looks at Rocket with a weak smile. His eyes then drift up, and he sees Dr Strange and Peter.

“Hey!” he slurs. “You’re… we won?”

“We did,” Peter smiles. “Because of you.”

“Cool.”

Bruce wants to laugh and cry at the same time. This kid, this child genius that has been handed a life filled with abuse, betrayal and pain, came back from it and managed to save the entire world in doing so.

Rhodey moves to Tony’s bedside, taking his hand and squeezing tightly. His smile is watery, and even though he doesn’t say anything, the silent exchange the two share is borne from years of friendship.

“Things are going to be OK,” Tony whispers a promise, his eyes slipping shut.

“They sure are, kid,” Bruce whispers back. “We’ll make sure of it.”

 

 

It takes a while for Tony to fully recover. Loki insists that it’s a miracle he’s survived at all; apparently wielding the stones should have been impossible and at the very least, Tony should have died, his body obliterated, just for attempting it.

Things around the world take a while to settle back into a rhythm. Some of those who returned from the dusting have to be recovered from all corners of the world, having disappeared while on trips. Some people are still being searched for, and Tony donates a large amount of money to help the relief effort. Lives that had just started to try and move on were thrown into disarray, psychologists hold pop-up events to help piece together families and life was generally a mess everywhere, but they would heal. Humanity is volatile, temperamental, but things can get better, even if they’ll never be the same again.

Rocket was reunited with Groot, Parker with his aunt, Steve with Bucky, parents with children, friends with friends, husbands with wives. Things seem brighter already, no matter how much further they have to go. And it was all because Tony was willing to sacrifice himself for the world.

Quill was struggling to cope with the fact that Gamora would never return, and Tony tried his hardest to help, but Quill was inconsolable. Tony understood. Learning that Jarvis and Ana had died in his absence, when he should have been around the keep them alive, hurt more than he could voice. Nebula was suffering too, and they moved aside and created their own cocoon of grief, and Tony kind of wishes he had that, someone to mourn with that understood his pain, even if he doesn’t want anyone else feeling the way he did.

Clint sat by Tony’s bedside for hours on end telling him about the world outside and reading stories on Reddit. Some of them were beautiful reunions between families (Tony isn’t ashamed to say he cried when he watched a video about a dog coming back from the dusting and attacking her owners with kisses). Some were heart-wrenching, people that had returned to find that the ones they loved had moved on completely, or worse, had died with the grief.

“The world is a darker place than before,” Clint says one evening. “And even the Avengers can’t fix that.”

 

Everyone stays at the compound for months, and Tony has his AI assist everyone while he is incapacitated. Rooms are set up, food is brought in, movies are bought. He also had the AI spy for him, so he never feels left out. The entire place feels like bedlam, but there is comfort in having so many people close by.

He, Peter, and Harley grow close, a friendship like Tony has never experienced. They would spend hours talking shop, only to be wrangled off to bed by Steve, Thor or Bruce when it went on too long. He’s had friends before, the team for one, and Rhodey too, but this is the first time he’s had friends that are his age, the years between meaning nothing when Loki is thousands of years older, and Steve and Bucky had a century on him. It’s nice. It’s new.

It’s three weeks after the un-dusting that Tony is finally freed from the bed. He is under strict orders to not overwork himself and to eat three regular meals a day, but it’s a small price to pay for the ability to walk about and visit people on a whim.

 

“I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to teach you more,” Loki says. “You are still weak, and if I remember correctly, your hold on your magic is tentative at best.”

“Shouldn’t that act as more reason to teach me? I need to control it better, else I might end up on some less than friendly spaceship lightyears away.”

There’s a moment of silence.

“OK.”

Loki is such a pushover.

 

“Tony wants us to meet him on the lawn,” Clint calls.

It’s a redundant effort because J.A.R.V.I.S repeats the message throughout the compound, and within ten minutes, everyone is crowding onto the lawn in the darkness. Loki stands to the side, arms crossed, looking reluctantly proud and smug.

Tony is stood in front of everyone, smug and vibrating with excitement.

“Welcome to the Tony show!” he shouts, his voice projecting somehow.

“Is this going to be dangerous?” Bruce asks anxiously.

There’s nothing he can see that immediately screams danger, but knowing Tony, he could create a cataclysmic event from thin air, so he feels justified in worrying.

“Don’t worry, Brucie, I’ve got it under control.”

“And if anything goes wrong, I’ll have it under control,” Loki adds.

Feeling only slightly less uneasy, Bruce nods and waits.

Silence falls over them all as Tony lifts his arms in the air, and behind him, there are a series of explosions that rise into the sky and burst into multi-coloured lights and sparks. Tony seems to conduct the fireworks with his hands, twisting his hands around and the flares perform somersaults. It takes Bruce an embarrassing amount of time to realise that Tony didn’t build fireworks. He manifested them with…

“Magic?” Bruce asks, his voice wavering.

“Magic!” Tony crows.

“Magic,” Loki sighs with a shake of his head.

“Jesus Christ,” Clint whispers. “Is there anything he can’t do?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you. Everyone who has read, commented and left Kudos on this work has made it possible. You've helped motivate me to write every chapter.  
> I've really enjoyed writing this, and while I'll be leaving this particular universe alone for now, it's not my only kid Tony fic. Head over and read 'Take off the suit, who are you' if you want more.
> 
> I really hope you all liked this, and I promise I'll get around to answering/replying to all the comments. I get weirdly anxious about responding, I don't know why.
> 
> Have a good day! Thanks again, you're the best.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Tumblr! writingpains2019


End file.
